Cross Hearts
by Althe
Summary: Her sixteenth birthday has not yet arrived and Aya still remains oblivious to the inner being intertwined with her soul. Unknown reasons have caused Ceres to interrupt Aya's life and transport her to the Fushigi Yuugi world.
1. Life Boat

Disclaimer: Dun own Ayashi No Ceres or Fushigi Yuugi  
  
Althe: Hey guys! It's been awhile since I've watched Ayashi No Ceres or Fushigi Yuugi so correct me if I'm wrong! Enjoy!  
  
The plot takes place six months before Aya turns 16 so she doesn't know she has Ceres blood.  
  
-----  
  
Ayashi No Ceres Entering the World of Angels and Hell- Meeting Fushigi Yuugi  
  
1. It's Just a Dream  
  
*****  
  
Aya is sitting under a willow tree in the city's park. She watches her twin brother, Aki, and her friends fish in the lake in front of her.  
  
"Aki baka." she sighed to herself grabbing a small pebble near her legs and thrusting it into the shallow part of the lake. The small pebble slowly sinks to the bottom and remains there silently. Ripples appeared steadily at the process. Aya hugged her legs and watched the others laugh and splash each other on the wooden boat they were in.  
  
"He knew I had bad experiences in the water."  
  
-Flashback-  
  
Six-year-old Aya is in a life jacket holding her father's hand as she skips toward a fishing boat her father had rented. She gets into the boat with Aki and her father following behind her. The boat rocks uneasily as she gets in.  
  
As her father paddles the boat toward the middle of the lake Aya is dipping her hands in the cool glistening water smiling gaily at her brother.  
  
This is her first time fishing, her first time ever on water, her first time on a boat, and she doesn't know how to swim. In other words she's your first time amateur on water safety.  
  
Now at this point, silly little Aya sees a huge whopper of a trout jump out of the water and does belly flops. Aya cries in delight and jumps to her feet. She starts yelling and pointing at the trout doing belly flops.  
  
As you know the number one rule while being on an old rickety fishing boat is to NEVER stand up. And as I said before foolish Aya was an amateur at water safety and stood up.  
  
Guess what happened.  
  
Aki and Aya's father scream in horror as poor dear Aya splashes and kicks for survival. Unfortunately I must say, Aya was in the deepest part of the lake and was sinking fast from her heavy, but light weight.  
  
Aya couldn't remember what happened after because she blanked out, but Aki told her he saw a dim light shimmered around her in the water and she floated up like an empty pop bottle.  
  
After that experience, Aya never really liked fishing or lakes.  
  
-Back to the Park-  
  
Aya finally uncurls herself and lies on the silky grass, humming to herself as she cut off a blade of grass and fiddled with it. Cheers could be heard by her triumphing brother as a tenderizing Rainbow Trout got hooked onto his rod.  
  
Aya groaned. "There's going to be fish for dinner tonight," she said to herself distastefully. Aya didn't mind fish, but it has been a week since she has tried anything other than fish.  
  
A gentle breeze swept her body. Aya closes her eyes and yawns. She felt lazy lying on the soft patch of grass while being shaded by the drooping branches of the willow tree. The situation felt like a perfect time to take a sort nap.  
  
As Aya drifted off to sleep, she felt warmth fill her body in comfort. She sighed a relief as her body lifted and felt as light as a feather.  
  
-----  
  
Aya suddenly felt wide-awake. She felt lighter than usual. The atmosphere around her felt different than before and the air seemed fresher.  
  
She opened her eyes slowly.  
  
Shock crippled her body as she found herself floating in a pitch-black room. Aya quickly looked at her hands to see if the darkness had engulfed it as well, but her hands were not harmed. They were shimmering with light as if it was glowing brilliantly. Her whole body was glowing.  
  
"Where am I???" She screamed looking around as if she would see someone pop out.  
  
Someone did.  
  
Aya stood in shock as a person came into vision. This person was also glowing magnificently.  
  
Aya soon distinguished this person as a female around the same age as her. She had purple hair that shone with beauty; her amber eyes glistened radiantly, releasing the true beauty of her face. But somehow deep in her eyes Aya could see loneliness lying deep beneath the girl. Aya knew they looked completely different from physical beauty to mental mind, but for some strange reason she knew she was, her.  
  
They were both naked staring into the faces of each other.  
  
"Who are you?" Aya asked breaking the uneasy silence.  
  
The girl said nothing instead kept on staring at Aya with blankness in her eyes.  
  
Aya grew uneasy, but kept her stare on the girl.  
  
"Are you.. me?" Aya asked.  
  
There still was no reply from the girl.  
  
After a long pause Aya gathered up the courage and lifted her right hand towards the girls face and gently placed it on her left cheek. To her amazement the girl did the same thing.  
  
The girl's hand was cold and thin. The only warmth that Aya could feel in her hand was the pulse of her blood. The girl was much more pale than Aya, but she knew it was from the glowing light.  
  
The girl's eyes came to life and she finally spoke, which made Aya jump.  
  
"You are not harnessing my powers properly Aya."  
  
Aya blinked.  
  
"Harnessing your powers?" She repeated.  
  
The girl nodded.  
  
Aya stared into her eyes and was half transfixed and half paralysed. Her grandfather's story rang inside her head.  
  
'One day a young man was passing near the ocean when he saw a beautiful tennyo wading in the water. On the pine tree right beside, he saw a few robes hanging there more beautiful than anything he's seen before. The young man realized this belonged to the fairies, and he stole one of them hastily and ran away. The fairy that had her hagoromo stolen could not return to the heavens. The fairy saw the suspicious young man and asked,  
  
"Have you seen my feathered robe? If you have it, would you please return it to me?"  
  
But the young man pretended he didn't know and took the hand of the weeping fairy to be his wife.  
  
They were together and finally, after a few years, they had children.  
  
The fairy listened to the whistling songs of the children and found out about the young man hiding her feathered robe. Having found her feathered robe, she returned to the heavens she had longed for, leaving her husband, and children.'  
  
Aya blinked again.  
  
"Ceres," she said, barely knowing the words coming out of her mouth.  
  
"Hai," Ceres replied giving her another nod.  
  
Ceres placed both her hands on each of Aya's cheeks. They stared into each other's eyes for a while. Ceres finally inched closer to Aya and kissed her. Aya's eyes widened as she watched Ceres disappear slowly. She could feel her body pulsing with Ceres's blood.  
  
Ceres was now inside of her.  
  
Aya closed her eyes. She felt so heavy and weak. Before she knew it, she was falling.  
  
-----  
  
Aya shot out the grass. Her heart was pounding madly. Sweat was dripping down her forehead. She felt dizzy at the moment.  
  
"Just a dream." she reassured herself.  
  
Aya got up slowly so she wouldn't lose her balance.  
  
'But it seemed so real.'.  
  
Aya's train of thought was soon interrupted by her brother's cries.  
  
"Aya!"  
  
Aya turned around and found Aki and her friends heading towards her. She waved at them once she saw the huge trout dangling in the cooler.  
  
"You got a big one," she said giving them a fake smile. She didn't want to worry the others with her ridiculous dream. But Aki knew Aya too well. He could see it in her eyes that something was troubling her.  
  
"Yep," he replied smiling back at Aya. 'Maybe a bit of fishing will clear Aya from her troubles.'  
  
"Aki, are you done fishing?" She asked.  
  
The gang all stared at her as if she was a mad man.  
  
"Are you kiddin'???" They shouted laughing as if Aya said the funniest thing.  
  
"We only came back to dump this fish on you 'cause we have no more room in the cooler," explained Aki patting the cooler happily.  
  
Aya slapped Aki hard on the head as she said, "Baka! I'm not going to carry some dumb fish for you Aki!"  
  
Aki rubbed her head and said, "Then why don't you join us in fishing squirt? It's only 10:34." Aya looked horrified as her friends agreed with Aki and started to drag her towards the boat.  
  
"NOOOoooooooooooooo! Help! Aki BAKA!!! I HATE FISHING!!!"  
  
Aya squirmed and kicked as she was dragged into a life jacket and carried into the boat. Aya quickly acted fast. She hugged the dock's pole, as they were about to sail.  
  
"Oh Aya, face your fears! Besides fishing's fun!" said one of her friends patting her back in comfort.  
  
"And anyways, if you fall overboard your fat will float you to safety like last time," laughed Aki. Aya was furious.  
  
"SHUT UP AKI!!! SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!!! I WON'T FISH UNTIL I'M FULLY SECURED!!!"  
  
The whole gang looked at each other evilly then looked at Aya.  
  
"Secured you say?" asked Aki taking off his life jacket.  
  
"Yes, SECURE!!!"  
  
"Okay."  
  
-5 Minutes Later- Aya is sitting on the boat with six life jackets on herself while the other life jacketless people row toward the centre of the lake.  
  
"I hate you guys," Aya mumbled fiddling with the jacket buckle.  
  
"I'm sorry, but that's as 'secure' as you can get Aya," grinned Aki dipping his oar into the water.  
  
Aya finally unbuckled her first life jacket and started to take it off.  
  
"Aya what are you doing???" Asked one of her friends looking worried.  
  
"I can't stand it anymore! I'm burning from all the weight on me, and I look like a walrus."  
  
Aki burst out laughing, which made him almost lose his oar.  
  
"But you do look like a walrus Aya! You look like old Saint Nick in the winter!" remarked Aki. The others gave a low giggle at this remark. Aya began steaming up.  
  
"Well sorry Mr. Barney Lover!"  
  
"Wha-what did you say???" Shouted Aki.  
  
Aki never got over barney until he was in junior high. That's when he realized the true meaning of the gay colour, purple.  
  
"Oh Aki, you never got over barney until you were 11," smirked Aya. The others burst into thousands of hilarious hoots and laughter.  
  
"Why you..you walrus!"  
  
"Barney!  
  
"Walrus!"  
  
"Barney!  
  
"Walrus!"  
  
"Barney!  
  
"Walrus!"  
  
Aya stood up angrily.  
  
"That's it! If I have to go fishing then I want to go without him!" cried Aya pointing at Aki as if he was a slug.  
  
"Aya! Don't stand up!" screamed Aki trying to grab Aya. But it was too late.  
  
Aya screamed as she plunged into the icy depths of the water. She kicked and splash until her body gave way and she started to sink. Aya could hear faint cries from up above and splashes of water.  
  
'Help me Ceres...' Aya said to herself closing her eyes. 'Help me like you did before..' But Ceres did not help her. Aya wondered in agony as her lungs felt like they were going to burst. Her body felt heavy and weak.  
  
She knew Aki or her friends could not help her now.  
  
'Ceres...'  
  
Aya's head began to spin. Her body now had a mind of it's own and was getting heavier by the second.  
  
'Please...'  
  
Lakes weren't deep, but somehow this one was lasting forever. Aya started to regret the day she refused to take swimming lessons at the beach. She regretted shouting at Aki. She regretted standing up. She regretted ever to go on the boat. But most of all she regretted herself for not listening to her dream.  
  
'Harness my powers.'  
  
Even though Aya was in water the strangest thing happened. A tear rolled down her cheek and sank down slowly. Aya turned to see what had happened.  
  
Her tear was slowly dropping down, but it didn't hit the bottom of the lake. Somehow the tear splashed onto another force of water blocking the floor of the water. (I'm gonna make a diagram 'cause I suck at explaining things ^^;;;)  
  
()-Tear  
  
---------------------------------------------- -Invisible force of water  
  
____________________________________________________________ -Lake Bottom  
  
(Tear hits the invisible force and disappears. It's like a portal.)  
  
Aya's eye's widened as she inched closer to the force of water.  
  
*****  
  
Althe: How was it? Good? Bad? Send reviews if you want me to continue! I'll be waiting! ^^ But for now I'll be massaging my poor aching fingers ^^;;; Sorry for the grammar mistakes, I've become lazy. 


	2. Wild

Watsu Yuu owns Ayashi No Ceres and Fushigi Yuugi not me!  
  
Althe: Hey guys! Whew! Just managed to finish up this chapter. Hope it's good and long enough for ya^^ gomen! It took so long^^;;;  
  
Oh yeah, Aya! Hope your having a good vacation! ^^ I would send you an e- mail about it, but my account's going haywire on me ^^;;; Here let me see if it works. oh! Your e-mail's out of storage space ^-^;;; Need to talk about Yugi fic with ya! So clear out some space for me!  
  
-----  
  
Ayashi No Ceres Entering the World of Angels and Hell-Meeting Fushigi Yuugi  
  
2. Wild  
  
*****  
  
(This part takes place when Aya was sitting under the willow tree)  
  
Tasuki shadows his face with his hand from the hot burning sun. The horse that he was riding on was slowly slowing down to a turtles pace, panting madly from the heat. The other three horses in front of him were doing the same.  
  
"Chichiri!" he yelled angrily looking at him as he walked on the dry dirt road, "Why the hell did you make us travel in a weather like this??? We could've stayed in the inn with nice cold wine and nice cold ice and nice cold chicks!"  
  
Chichiri didn't look at Tasuki. He kept his eyes on the road as he said; "If we stayed there then we won't be in the next town until midnight no da. The weather won't be changing for another week no da. I can feel it no da."  
  
Tasuki groaned.  
  
Nuriko looked up from his horse.  
  
"Quit your complaining Tasuki. You had tons of wine before heading off."  
  
Nuriko tossed his bangs away from his eyes. The road ahead was getting blurry. His eyes were out of focus. He squinted his eyes and kicked his horse gently to make it go faster. The horse ignored him and continued his slow pace.  
  
'The heat's getting to me,' he sighed to himself, grabbing a bottle full of water from his side and splashing it all over his face.  
  
Tasuki stared at Nuriko in alarm.  
  
"Nuriko you jerk!" Tasuki screamed, waving his arms fiercely at him, "you're stealing all our precious water!"  
  
Nuriko stared at Tasuki with his angry, wet dribbling face. He stood up on his horse and with great balance he did not fall.  
  
Nuriko pointed his second finger at Tasuki in outrage.  
  
"You're the little bastard that drank all my wine!"  
  
Tasuki stood up on his horse as well. He also didn't fall.  
  
"It wasn't even YOUR wine! Yours could kill a cow with it's strong taste!"  
  
Nuriko threw the empty water bottle at Tasuki with all his might. The bottle landed on Tasuki's forehead leaving a very painful red mark. Nuriko burst into laughter making him almost loose his own balance.  
  
"Oh, you wanna fight eh???" Tasuki yelled in outrage. He pulled out his diamond-crusted fan and slapped it on his hand.  
  
"I'll give you a fight pretty boy."  
  
Tasuki grinned evilly, aiming his fan directly at Nuriko. Nuriko pulled up his fists.  
  
"Give it your best shot fang bat."  
  
Tasuki's grin faded and he became serious.  
  
"REKKA SHINEN!!!" He cried swishing the fan towards Nuriko.  
  
"AHHHHH!" Nuriko screamed throwing a punch towards Tasuki.  
  
Hotohori stepped in front of the two, facing Tasuki.  
  
"Stop it you two! Your acting like-."  
  
But before Hotohori could say another word, he was splashed with burning flames from Tasuki's fan and pulverized from Nuriko's fist of might.  
  
Nuriko gasped in horror and a teardrop appeared on Tasuki's forehead as he backed away cautiously as Hotohori lay on the floor well burnt and crisp.  
  
"Children." Hotohori finished as smoke puffed out of his mouth.  
  
"Oh my," Chiriko said eyeing Hotohori carefully from his horse.  
  
Mitsukake stepped in front of everyone and held out his hand in reassurance.  
  
"Never fear," he said calmly, kneeling down towards Hotohori, "I can heal him!"  
  
And with that last word, green glowing light shone from Mitsukake's outstretched hand facing Hotohori, showing the sign of Suzaku.  
  
Hotohori's burns seemed to have ceased as he opened his eyes slowly. He blinked and stood up in amazement.  
  
"Thank god," said Nuriko, smiling cheerfully at the now revived emperor.  
  
"What happened Mitsukake? Did you revive me?" asked Hotohori eyeing Mitsukake with a now relived face.  
  
"Hai."  
  
"Thank you. You now have my debt and gratitude."  
  
Tasuki started to slap Hotohori's back while laughing out, "Well, that solves all our problems! Now we can just move on-."  
  
Hotohori suddenly stood up in Tasuki's mid sentence. Flames were beginning to grow out of his body. He made a tight fist in front of his own face.  
  
"Wait just a minute Tasuki," spat Hotohori evilly.  
  
He stood up on his feet, with his back towards Tasuki.  
  
"You almost came close to ruining my precious hair and nearly burning my expensive customized silk wear, which was shipped from China."  
  
The flames burned even more as Tasuki stepped away from Hotohori slowly, preparing to run for his life.  
  
"Yo man, gomen! It was an accident! You can forgive me-."  
  
"What you did is unforgivable until I punish you!!!"  
  
And with that, Hotohori swung his fist fiercely at Tasuki, making him fly up into the air and disappeared in the cloudless, hot sky. Hotohori's flames vanished from his body and steam raised from his clothing.  
  
"Ne, Hotohori-san, weren't you being just a bit too harsh? I know Tasuki's a stupid jerk, but-."  
  
"Nuriko," Hotohori said suddenly, interrupting him in his mid sentence. Flames shot up from his body once again.  
  
"You nearly dent my beautiful sensitive face, you've killed practically all of my intelligent one of a kind brain cells, and now your defending the wrong who deserve to be punished."  
  
Nuriko slowly sat down on his horse. A teardrop appeared on his forehead as he looked at Hotohori.  
  
"Hotohori-."  
  
"Now that," he interrupted, raising his fists as if to fight, "IS UNFORGIVABLE!!!!"  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Nuriko screamed kicking his horse continually. "RUN HORSE, RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!!!"  
  
The horse lurched and started galloping with all his might, crying from the pain Nuriko was giving him with his superior strength. Hotohori ran after Nuriko, puffing out fireballs towards him in rage.  
  
"HOTOHORI-SAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!! I BEG FORGIVENESSSSSSS!!!"  
  
"NEVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!"  
  
The remaining people had teardrops on their heads, but in the end laughed together at the outraged mad man emperor and the distressed and scared strong man.  
  
Tasuki appeared out of nowhere, crawling towards shade where he could hide his noticeable face.  
  
"Is he, is he gone?" whispered Tasuki peeking out of a small rock.  
  
"He's gone no da," smiled Chichiri.  
  
He looked out at the remains of the dirt road and sighed a relief.  
  
"Thank god."  
  
"What's the matter Chichiri-san?" asked Chiriko worriedly.  
  
"Well, since those two are already ahead of us by a mile, we'll all be able to ride on the three remaining horses and get to the next town much quicker."  
  
Chiriko smiled in delight.  
  
"Your right Chichiri-san!"  
  
"Right, now. Tamahome-kun? You take Mi-." Chichiri stopped talking and eyed Tamahome with a teardrop on his head.  
  
"Ah, Tamahome-kun?"  
  
Tamahome was embracing Miaka tightly as Miaka returned his hug.  
  
"Tamahome."  
  
"Miaka."  
  
"Tamahome."  
  
"Miaka."  
  
"Tamahome."  
  
"Miaka."  
  
"Tamahome."  
  
"Miaka."  
  
"Tamahome."  
  
"Mia-."  
  
"TAMAHOME-KUN!!!" Chichiri shouted, snapping Tamahome and Miaka out of their romantic trance.  
  
"What? What???" shouted Tamahome, looking extremely irritated at Chichiri.  
  
Even though Chichiri was wearing a happy mask, you could see an evil grin appear on his face from underneath.  
  
"Mitsukake?"  
  
Mitsukake stepped forward and cracked his knuckles as if ready to fight.  
  
"Hai," he said emotionlessly, like a navy soldier out to war.  
  
Chichiri nodded and Mitsukake went up to Tamahome. Tamahome held Miaka tightly as if Mitsukake was a wild boar.  
  
"Gomen Tamahome-kun, but you are an interference to Miaka-sama."  
  
-Five Minutes Later-  
  
Mitsukake was carrying Tamahome as he mounted him onto a brown horse. Tamahome, naturally, was kicking and screaming on Mitsukake's back, throwing many threats at him. All, of coarse, failed to muse Mitsukake to throw Tamahome back onto his own two feet.  
  
"Let me go you horrid beast! Miaka!"  
  
"Tamahome!"  
  
Miaka was fine (no one was holding her down because she wasn't struggling.) Tasuki was helping her onto another brown horse, which he would steer.  
  
"Geez you guys," Tasuki said as he got onto the horse with Miaka, "you make this sound like an execution or drama play, geez, and you're beside each other too."  
  
Tamahome banged his fists onto Mitsukake's back. Mitsukake flinched, but continued to settle himself onto the brown horse.  
  
"Shut up Tasuki! Why the hell did we have to get separated Chichiri??? It's not like we're gonna do it on a horse!"  
  
Tasuki mumbled a cruel remark while trying to suppress thousands of hooting laughter.  
  
Chichiri smiled.  
  
"Because these horses are very wild no da and if you keep on er *cough* um- ."  
  
"Hugging," finished Tamahome grumpily.  
  
"Yeah, hugging (whatever) then sooner or later the horse might get wild, no da and you know, drag your corpses on the ground no da."  
  
"Why don't we get 'tamed' horses then?" remarked Tamahome crossing his arms.  
  
Chichiri mounted onto his horse with Chiriko.  
  
"They're too expensive no da."  
  
*Silence*  
  
Tamahome raised his fist as a vein of anger popped out of his head.  
  
"They're too expensive when we have the EMPEROR by our SIDE??????"  
  
Chichiri pointed at Tasuki casually.  
  
"Hotohori's money was spent by Tasuki to buy wine no da and we can't go across half a country just to get more money no da."  
  
Tamahome lowered his head in outrage.  
  
"TaaaaSUKI! BAKA!!"  
  
Because Tasuki was so close to Tamahome, Tamahome was able to throw a mighty punch at Tasuki. With his great stupid luck, Tasuki dodged with no scratch. Unfortunately, the punch was shot at Tasuki's horse.  
  
The horse cried in pain leaping and kicking on the things around it.  
  
Miaka screams in horror.  
  
"TASUKI!!! MAKE HIM STOOOOOOP!!!"  
  
"HOW THE HELL CAN I MAKE A WIILD HORSE STOOOOOOP KIICKING??????"  
  
Suddenly the horse kicks Mitsukake's, and the two leap and start kicking each other.  
  
"Oh my," Chiriko said, looking at the four hopeless ones nervously.  
  
Chichiri leads his horse towards the two fighting horses.  
  
"Stop it you two! We're never going to catch up to Hotohori-sama and Nuriko- kun at this rate!"  
  
The horses twitched their ears as if they heard Chichiri's very words. They sprang to their feet and began galloping towards Hotohori and Nuriko's direction. Chichiri stood there flabbergasted as he heard faint voices of Tasuki, Miaka, Mitsukake, and Tamahome in the far distance.  
  
"Chichiri-san!" Chiriko cried in alarm, tugging his sleeve quickly, "if we don't hurry then we'll lose them!"  
  
Chichiri nodded.  
  
"Right!"  
  
At his very words, Chichiri kicked his horse and headed towards the others.  
  
If you were to stand a far distance away from the Suzaku senshi, you could see a straight line of three horses galloping towards a town called, 'Mikinto.'  
  
-----  
  
-Where on earth are Hotohori and Nuriko?-  
  
"HOTOHORI-SAMA!!! GOMEN!!! PLEASE STOOOOP!!!"  
  
"NEVER NURIKO!!! YOU NEED TO BE PUNSIHED!!!"  
  
Nuriko was still riding on his horse, which was galloping with all its might. Nuriko could see the horse was beginning to tire and was about to collapse, but he couldn't stop now. Not with Hotohori on a rampage.  
  
He bent down towards the horse's ear.  
  
"Please don't stop! I'll give you water and groom you till your heart's content if I make it out of here alive."  
  
The horse huffed for a sign of agreement and continued his extraordinary pace.  
  
"NURIKO!!!"  
  
The town's outline was clearer now. Just a few more miles and they would be there.  
  
"HOTOHORI-SAMA!!! WE'RE NEARING THE NEXT TOWN!!! PLEASE STOP OR ELSE YOU'LL EMBARRASS US BOTH!!!"  
  
Hotohori stopped suddenly.  
  
"Your right Nuriko... I'll punish you later."  
  
Before Nuriko could sigh a relief, he found that he could not control his horse to a halt.  
  
Apparently, the horse took Nuriko seriously and wasn't going to stop.  
  
Not for a long time to come.  
  
"You can stop now!!!" Shouted Nuriko in horror, pulling on the reins, but it was no use. The horse wasn't tamed enough to follow second orders.  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"  
  
The town was just seconds away. And by the looks of it, this wasn't your average small village. It was a populated area with plenty of victims to get caught in the horse's tracks. If the horse wouldn't stop now, then it'll never stop after.  
  
"STOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!!!"  
  
----  
  
Aya quickly attempted to swim away from the force of the water, but it was no use. She didn't have enough experience of this kind of pressure. The tear had finally disappeared into the invisible force and by the looks of it, the force wanted Aya.  
  
'Ceres, what's happening?' Aya thought to herself frantically still keeping up her desperate struggle.  
  
'Don't struggle Aya. You'll only make it worse. Rest.'  
  
Aya suddenly felt sleeping. The lack of oxygen was getting to her.  
  
'Rest.'  
  
Aya felt her feet sink into the force. The feeling was like half finished jelly. On the other side of the force Aya could feel cool air washing away her feet.  
  
She began to struggle again as the force began to engulf her legs.  
  
Soon it engulfed her stomach.  
  
Her arms.  
  
Her neck.  
  
And her head so there was no trace of her, only her air bubbles, which will be the last thing that anyone sees of her for a very long time.  
  
-----  
  
Nuriko screamed warning as he entered the busy street of a large town.  
  
"GAIN WAY!!! MOVE ASIDE!!! MAD HORSE ON THE RUUUUN!!!"  
  
Town's people screamed in horror as they dodged the mad horse, which was running in many different directions. Children cried and men cursed as Nuriko went passed them.  
  
"Slow down you stupid fart bag!"  
  
The horse didn't seem too keen being called, 'stupid fart bag.' This only encouraged the horse to go faster, hoping that his rider would smash into a tree or something solid.  
  
"AHHHHH! MOVE IT!!! GAIN WAY!!! SLOOW DOOOOOOOOOOOOOWN!!!"  
  
-----  
  
Aya didn't know what happened after, but she felt herself falling into the cool sweet air. She felt herself land on a soft dry dirt road.  
  
'So soft...'  
  
The smooth dirt brushed her hair as a cool breeze swept her.  
  
Aya felt like she could lye here all day.  
  
'I hear hooves...' she thought to herself, but she didn't care. She didn't feel like moving. All she wanted to do was sleep..  
  
"MOVE ASIDE!!! OUT OF THE WAY!!! MAD HORSE ON A RUUUUN!!!"  
  
Aya flinched. She could hear voices. Lots of them.  
  
"Mmmmmm..."  
  
She couldn't move. Her body felt so heavy and drained. Her eyes felt like they were being pressed down by metal.  
  
Aya gave up her struggle to move and lay on the ground. The whole area seemed deserted, but she could smell the essence of fright in the air.  
  
Was her body stiff from fright or was it the impact from the invisible water force?  
  
"HEY! YOU THERE!!! MOOOVE!!!"  
  
Aya could hear someone calling her. She stayed motionless.  
  
'If I die then so be it... I just want to rest..'  
  
She felt exhausted as if she had ran in a 100 mile marathon.  
  
Too tired to speak. Too tired to move. Too tired to do anything but close her eyes and drift off....  
  
"HEEEY!!!"  
  
-----  
  
Nuriko waved his arms out at the people in front of him. All of them obeyed and ran back to their homes frightened.  
  
'Good. No one's getting hurt,' he thought to himself. He looked down at his disobedient horse.  
  
"Please stop!" he hissed at the horse, giving a huge tug at the reins.  
  
The horse ignored his rider's commands once again and continued his rampage through town.  
  
Nuriko could hear running from behind him.  
  
'Hotohori's right behind me, thank god.'  
  
Nuriko turned his head behind him. He couldn't control his horse anymore so what was the point to guide the dumb thing? He saw Hotohori huffing and puffing towards him.  
  
"Hotohori!" Nuriko shouted over the pounding of the horse's hooves.  
  
"Nuriko! *huff* Are you okay???"  
  
"Fine! But I need some help!"  
  
"I'm on it!!!!"  
  
Nuriko turned his head to his front just in time to dodge a bamboo pole that the horse had ran into.  
  
"Come on," he hissed to the horse, "your going to kill us all."  
  
The horse chose to ignore this comment and started slamming into walls and stands, seeing if his rider was strong enough to dodge them. Nuriko screamed in outrage as he missed 20% of his obstacles and in the end was covered in blisters.  
  
"STUPID HORSE!!! STUPID! STUPID! STUPI-!"  
  
Nuriko felt a drop of water roll down his cheek. He looked up. Was it raining? It couldn't be, the place was burning up and there wasn't a rain cloud in sight.  
  
Then what was that drop?  
  
He shook his head and continued his futile attempt to stop the horse in its tracks.  
  
"Come on, stop....MOVE IT!!! GAIN WAY!!!"  
  
Suddenly up in the path in front of him was deserted.  
  
'Thank god, no people to get hurt...what the?'  
  
Nuriko felt a strange force tighten a grip on his heart. His whole body froze and he couldn't move.  
  
'That's strange....'  
  
Nuriko remembered this feeling before... But where? It can't be.. The only time he had ever felt this way was when he felt the priestess of Suzaku, Miaka, had entered their world.  
  
Is there another Priestess arriving?  
  
Nuriko looked up. His eyes widened in amazement. He saw two feet in thin air dangling. Then the legs came. The body. The arms. The neck. And a head. A girl's head.  
  
'What's going on???' he thought to himself.  
  
The girl started falling. She landed with a thud in the path in front of him. She was probably unconscious from the fall. Nuriko turned his head.  
  
"Hotohori???" he called, but Hotohori was gone. He must of lost him when the horse sped up in sharp turns.  
  
'Oh no, I'm going to hit her!'  
  
Nuriko saw three children slowly crawl out of their homes. They were curious of the girl.  
  
"MOVE ASIDE!!! OUT OF THE WAY!!! MAD HORSE ON A RUUUUN!!!"  
  
The children looked up and screamed, scuttling away to their homes in pure panic.  
  
The girl lay motionless. Was she dead? No. Nuriko could see her flinch. She had to move or else the horse would kill her in its tracks. Nuriko took a deep breath, his last attempt to get the girl moving.  
  
"HEY YOU THERE!!! MOOOVE!!!"  
  
She didn't.  
  
Nuriko grew panicky. The horse wasn't stopping and she wasn't moving.  
  
'What am I going to do now?'  
  
"HEEEY!!!"  
  
Still no response.  
  
By now she was probably out cold. Nuriko thought hard. In ten seconds he was going to hit her and probably send blood flying.  
  
He knew this because of his last experience with a wild horse and its victim.  
  
Kourin.  
  
Tears swelled up his eyes. Nuriko blinked them away.  
  
'No,' he thought to himself.  
  
'No. I'm not going to let the same fate to happen to this girl that happened to Kourin. I won't let it happen. I won't.'  
  
Nuriko clutched the reins on the horse tightly. He only had one option left.  
  
'I'll save you.'  
  
*****  
  
Althe: Cliffhanger eh? ^^ I tried to make it really long to make it up to you guys! ^^ It's been awhile since I've updated, so yeah^^  
  
Hope ya enjoyed it!  
  
R+R If you want me to continue! 


	3. The Feeling

Althe: Glad you all liked my last chapter! Don't worry! Nuriko's not gay in this fic^^ he actually proves something to his group, but you'll know what I mean in the future chapters. In this chapter, Aya thinks Nuriko's a girl because of his magnificent looks. *Sigh* Nuriko....^^ I'm soooooooooooooo jealous!  
  
Oh darn. Aya, I now realize I still have feelings for him^^ Oh well! It doesn't matter. I'll get him in my other fics...  
  
Enjoy!  
  
-----  
  
Ayashi No Ceres Entering the World of Angels and Hell- Meeting Fushigi Yuugi  
  
3. The Feeling  
  
*****  
  
-'No,' he thought to himself.  
  
'No. I'm not going to let the same fate to happen to this girl like Kourin. I won't let it happen. I won't.'  
  
Nuriko clutched the reins on the horse tightly. He only had one option left.  
  
'I'll save you.'-  
  
The horse gained speed as if it wanted to hit someone.  
  
Nuriko held onto the horse even more. He couldn't lose. He wouldn't.  
  
"Come on.." He said quietly, as he neared closer to the girl. "Just a little closer."  
  
Beads of sweat appeared on Nuriko's brow. He tried to wipe it off with his hand, but they were still clutching the reins tightly, too scared to move. His knuckles turned paper white as he tightened his grip.  
  
He squinted his eyes. They were becoming unfocused again. He shook his head frantically. He had to concentrate. The life of a girl depended on him.  
  
The heat was really getting to him.  
  
He was sick.  
  
Mitsukake told him this, but Nuriko refused to be healed.  
  
'You need to heal other people that's more important,' Nuriko told him before they started their trip to Mikinto.  
  
Now as Nuriko looked back, he regretted every word that came out of his mouth. His sickliness was really aching him and might be the cause of this girl's death if he didn't fight it.  
  
Nuriko shook his head again.  
  
'Concentrate Nuriko! Concentrate!'  
  
-----  
  
Aya lay there, tired and ready to die.  
  
Her body felt like a bolder and sounds of hooves kept pounding her ears.  
  
'Ceres...' She thought to herself weakly. 'Why can't I move?'  
  
Aya heard a voice and started to strain her ears to listen and focus, but they kept on resisting, giving Aya painful surges to her head.  
  
Aya finally heard Ceres clearly.  
  
'You are being saved. Be patient.'  
  
Aya felt like crying, but her body was too tired and heavy to even bother giving a flinch now. The wind blew dry dirt onto her clothes and hair.  
  
'I don't want to be saved,' she thought to herself mournfully. 'I just want to go back to Aki and my friends. I want to go home. Please.'  
  
There was no answer or Aya couldn't hear it, but she knew what Ceres had said.  
  
'No.'  
  
Was she trying to put her to the test? Pointless now because she was tired and sickly.  
  
'Take me home. I don't care. I don't care. I want to go home. Take me home. Please.'  
  
Her ears rang in alarm as if Ceres was yelling in her ear. It was painful to listen to anything at the moment.  
  
'What about me Aya? I want to go home too, but I can't!'  
  
Aya opened her eyes as if she was as light as a feather. Tears swelled her eyes. 'The tennyo who lost her feathered robe.'  
  
She body felt weak as if it was ready to collapse.  
  
Aya's mind swam with countless thoughts.  
  
She finally realized that she didn't care. Aya didn't care. She didn't care if Ceres was in pain. She didn't care if she died in this world and failed to do something heroic. She just wanted to go home, the place that she yearned more than anything else.  
  
Her eyes became too weak to withstand the pressure to open them anymore and they closed. But before Aya blanked out she saw a purple-haired girl on a horse heading towards her.  
  
-----  
  
Nuriko saw the girl open her eyes.  
  
For a few seconds he thought he saw her stare at him with a dazed look. The girl closed her eyes again and the thought disappeared from his mind.  
  
'I have to hurry,' Nuriko thought to himself.  
  
He pulled on the reins absentmindedly, his eyes still on the girl.  
  
The horse was finally a few inches away from colliding to the girl.  
  
Nuriko let go of the reins and with both of his hands and reached for the unconscious girl. Once the horse felt the reins break free from Nuriko's grasp it seemed overjoyed and started a rampage  
  
Nuriko knew what he had to do.  
  
He jumped out of the saddle and landed beside the girl. As quick as a flash, Nuriko grabbed the girl's arms and rolled towards a stonewall safe from harms way.  
  
Nuriko held the girl tightly as the horse headed towards them.  
  
The horse suddenly stopped in its tracks. It seemed as if all the energy was drained from its body.  
  
The horse knelt down beside Nuriko and the girl. It licked her pale cheek.  
  
Nuriko sighed a huge relief and started to get up.  
  
He couldn't.  
  
He was too tired and drained from that lifetime experience.  
  
Just like Aya, he wanted rest.  
  
Nuriko closed his eyes gratefully and drooped his head lazily. His hands were tightly against the girl's, hugging her tightly and quietly.  
  
He could feel eyes and heads pop out of house doors and windows as he lay there silently. Many eyes were staring at him, but he didn't care. It was usual now that he was trying to protect the Suzaku priestess.  
  
Mumbles started around the area as children cried of joy and started to crowd around the horse and pet it gently. The horse took their pets as compliments and accepted them politely.  
  
Nuriko's shirt was slightly ripped near the shoulder and his forehead was bleeding, but all in all he felt refreshed, but tired.  
  
"Nuriko! Nuriko!"  
  
-----  
  
Chichiri looked up at the sky as he rode on his horse.  
  
He felt something strange. As of a hand had grasped his heart. He hadn't felt this way since Miaka entered this world. He could tell Chiriko felt the same way.  
  
"What is it Chichiri-san?" Chiriko asked quietly, looking up at the sky as well.  
  
Chichiri looked at Chiriko sternly.  
  
"It's heading from Mikinto no da," he said finally.  
  
Chichiri looked at the other two horses in front of him. They were also looking up at the sky. They could sense it too.  
  
But what did it mean?  
  
-----  
  
Tasuki looked up at the sky as he rode on his horse.  
  
He felt something strange. As of a hand had grasped his heart. He hadn't felt this way since Miaka entered this world. He looked at Tamahome and Mitsukake. They could also sense it. But Miaka did nothing.  
  
She couldn't sense anything.  
  
"Miaka," Tasuki said, nudging her with his elbow.  
  
"Hai!" Miaka smiled looking at Tasuki gaily.  
  
"Do you sense it?" he asked, looking back at the sky absentmindedly.  
  
"Sense what?" she asked curiously at Tasuki.  
  
Miaka looked up at the sky as well. Nothing. Only a blue cloudless sky. What could be important about that?  
  
"There's nothing there," Miaka said at a now drifting Tasuki.  
  
Tasuki looked at Mitsukake.  
  
"Mitsukake!" Tasuki called from his horse.  
  
Mitsukake nodded.  
  
"Hai!"  
  
They both tugged on the reins carefully so the horses wouldn't go on a rampage again. The horses went a bit faster, pounding at the parched dirt road.  
  
Tamahome looked from behind him. Chichiri was speeding up too. He must have sense the force.  
  
"Chichiri!" Tamahome called over the loud thumping of the horses.  
  
Chichiri waved.  
  
"Do you think one of the senshi are in trouble?"  
  
Chichiri shouted loudly, "Don't think so no da! It's something else no da! We must hurry to Mikinto no da! Hotohori-san and Nuriko-kun are probably already heading to the source no da!"  
  
Tamahome nodded.  
  
"Right! Faster Mitsukake! Faster!"  
  
-----  
  
Hotohori collapsed to the floor breathing hard. He had lost his breath as the horse went faster and disappeared into a corner.  
  
'Such nonsense is not suited for a king,' he thought to himself irritated.  
  
After sitting on his stop for a few minutes, Hotohori got up and was about to start chasing them again, but stopped.  
  
Hotohori looked up at the sky.  
  
He felt something strange. As of a hand had grasped his heart. He hadn't felt this way since Miaka entered this world.  
  
What was going on?  
  
The force was strong and close.  
  
His eyes widened as he saw feet appear in the sky. The body and head began to appear out of nowhere.  
  
It was a girl.  
  
'Priestess,' Hotohori thought in his mind. 'It's another nomiko.'  
  
The girl started to fall. Hotohori was going to run after her, but stopped.  
  
The other senshi's were coming. He could feel it.  
  
Hotohori turned around and started to head for the entrance. They'll need him to fill them in.  
  
-----  
  
The others were nearing the entrance.  
  
The five senshi's saw something fall from the sky.  
  
"What was that?" Chiriko called over the horse's sounds.  
  
No one answered. They were all to dumbstruck to speak. Even if they could speak at the moment they couldn't answer his question.  
  
As they reached a few feet away from the entrance they stopped their horses.  
  
The town inside looked like a wreck as if a mad horse stormed through it.  
  
Wood and cargo were scattered on the road. Foods and fruits were squashed and dented.  
  
"What happened?" Tamahome and Tasuki said suspiciously.  
  
Soon enough, as they said those last two words, Hotohori appeared towards them.  
  
"Hotohori! What happened?" Miaka cried frantically.  
  
Hotohori was huffing and puffing as he reached them.  
  
"Nuriko's horse went wild," he said breathlessly. "It stormed through half the city..... The force. The force. Did you sense it?"  
  
The senshi's nodded, leaving Miaka clueless.  
  
"What happened to Nuriko?" Tamahome asked, getting off Mitsukake's finally relaxed back.  
  
Hotohori shook his head.  
  
"Don't know, but a girl fell from the sky towards Nuriko's direction... do you think she's a nomiko?"  
  
Chichiri shook his head in disagreement.  
  
"The feelings different. I don't think The Universe of the Four Gods transported this girl. She got here by some other transportation."  
  
The other's nodded in agreement.  
  
"But how?" Miaka asked curiously, looking at the senshi's serious faces.  
  
"No time to answer," Hotohori said, "We have to see if Nuriko's alright."  
  
-----  
  
"Nuriko! Nuriko!"  
  
Nuriko lay there, motionless and silent. He friends were calling him frantically, but he was too tired to move.  
  
He still lay there as they neared him.  
  
"Nuriko! Are you alright?" Miaka cried, crouching low beside Nuriko.  
  
"Fine," he mumbled quietly.  
  
"I will heal you Nuriko. You are injured and ill," Mitsukake said, raising his healing hand towards him.  
  
Nuriko forced all his strength for another task. He grabbed Mitsukake's hand and painfully shook his head.  
  
"No," he coughed dryly. Blood from his forehead was dribbling down his cheek and neck.  
  
"But-"  
  
"No!" he said more loudly now. "Use it on the girl. She's ill."  
  
Tasuki shook Nuriko by the shoulders.  
  
"Are you crazy man??? You're half dead! Stop being this jackass hero and take his god dam offer!"  
  
Nuriko shook his head furiously. More pain surged through his head.  
  
"She's the girl who-who dropped..from the sky," he said weakly, pointing at the sky.  
  
They all looked up. The energy from the force was gone, but there hearts were still vibrating from the experience.  
  
"She..she needs to be healed," he said again.  
  
He couldn't speak anymore. The pain was too much and his throat was too dry.  
  
Nuriko could feel Chichiri put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"We'll heal her at a hotel in this city, don' worry Nuriko. You did a good job."  
  
Nuriko relaxed. The feeling of this girl still vibrated in his mind and heart.  
  
*****  
  
Althe: Good eh? ^^ I'll try to make stuff more exciting in the next chapter.  
  
Please R+R! ^^ 


	4. We Have Another Problem

Althe: Hey guys! ^^ Back from Europe! Okay, tomorrow I'm leaving for LA so I won't be updating anytime soon.^^;;;  
  
The trip was fun! And. I think I have some more good ideas. we'll see when you read this chapter^^  
  
About Nuriko falling for Aya..I would like to tell you..nothing. It would absolutely, I mean absolutely 'ruin' my precious fic^^ Chinoz, I have no idea what your talking about when you said, "pls dun say tat this is ceres' home. It's too weird" Ceres took Aya to the Fushigi Yuugi world by.. . stop it! Your all making me spill the beans on the story!!!  
  
If I say anymore that will just give the ending away.  
  
You all may be clever, but I'm..I'm..ummmm.. forget I said anything --;;;  
  
Thanks Chinoz for telling me about that lifejacket mistake ^^;;; heh heh. Didn't notice that before ^^;;;.. we'll keep this to ourselves..shhhhh..  
  
-----  
  
Ayashi No Ceres Entering the World of Angels and Hell  
  
4. We Have Another Problem  
  
*****  
  
Aya felt warm and cozy.  
  
She opened her eyes slowly and closed them again quickly. Sun was pouring into the room like mad. Aya rubbed her eyes and yawned.  
  
'What a dream,' she thought to herself as she got out of bed. 'But it felt so real..'  
  
"Aki?" Aya called as she stretched tiredly.  
  
Aya heard the door creak. She turned to greet her brother as usual, but it wasn't Aki.  
  
"Your awake," the young man said thoughtfully as he entered the room.  
  
Aya backed away cautiously.  
  
"Who.who are you?" she sputtered as he slumped into a table stool near her.  
  
The young man smiled.  
  
Aya blushed. He was quite handsome.  
  
His hair was tied up and his eyes were gleaming. But he was wearing such strange clothing. It was older than her grandfather's generation.  
  
Before the boy could answer her first question, Aya looked around and asked alarmingly.  
  
"Where am I? Where's Aki?"  
  
The boy gave her a puzzled look.  
  
"Aki? Who's he?" he gave a sly grin, "is he your boyfriend or something?"  
  
Aya gave him a crossed look.  
  
"He's my twin brother. We were fishing and then..and then..." Aya blinked. She couldn't remember what happened.  
  
The boy placed his chin onto his knuckles.  
  
"Your twin brother huh? You probably ended up her just like Miaka..we're in Mikinto right now, Hotohori and Chichiri is talking to the mayor right now about the damages."  
  
Aya looked up at him giving him the same puzzled look.  
  
"Damages? Mikinto? Miaka? What are you talking about? I don't understand."  
  
The boy sighed and rubbed his head.  
  
"The damages done by a horse gone wild. We were-err.. kinda responsible. Mikinto's a city. It's quite famous for it's hot springs, but I don't suggest going in them right now, you'll be cooked. Geez, don't go out often do you?"  
  
Aya sat back down on the bed again. She still didn't get what he was saying.  
  
"There was this boy..I was in the horse incident, wasn't I?" Aya asked staring at him right in the eye.  
  
The boy gave a hearty laugh.  
  
"Almost got yourself killed too. Didn't have this kind of stuff since that incident with Yui."  
  
"Yui?"  
  
The boy shook his head.  
  
"Nothing. You should get some rest. I'll bring dinner up in an hour."  
  
Aya stared at him as he got up from the stool.  
  
"Dinner? Isn't it morning?"  
  
He smiled warily.  
  
"Weather's getting hectic. The sun won't set for hours nowadays."  
  
"Oh."  
  
The boy tucked Aya into bed and kissed her forehead.  
  
"Get some rest okay?"  
  
Aya blushed. She nodded quickly and hid her cheeks behind the covers.  
  
The boy left the room quietly and joined the other Suzaku senshi next-door.  
  
-----  
  
Chichiri entered the room sighing heavily as Hotohori poured tea for everyone.  
  
Tasuki raised his head from his arms and looked at Chichiri sleepily.  
  
"Are we cleared or busted?" he asked him gloomily as he picked up a teacup full of hot tea.  
  
Chichiri smiled.  
  
"Clear no da! But we have to pay for damages no da!"  
  
Chichiri then stared at Hotohori thoughtfully.  
  
"Gomen-ne Hotohori-san."  
  
Hotohori smiled as he sat down on a stool.  
  
"It's fine Chichiri. I don't mind."  
  
Tasuki gave them a painful smirk.  
  
"Old fool's too rich to know what to do with his money."  
  
Tamahome just entered the room but started laughing evilly.  
  
"You can give it all to me! Bwahahaha!"  
  
Nuriko sighed tiredly on his bed. "Oh please Tamahome! Honestly, give you all his money. That's the stupidest thing I've heard from you."  
  
Tamahome glared at Nuriko and said sarcastically, "Well sorry Mr. Beauty Queen."  
  
Nuriko ignored Tamahome's remark and said absentmindedly, "How's the girl?"  
  
Tamahome slumped into a chair next to Nuriko.  
  
"She's okay," he replied as he blew on his tea thoughtfully, "wants to see her twin brother though. She can't seem to remember how she got here."  
  
Nuriko rested his head on the bed pillow.  
  
"Miaka?" he called with his eyes closed, "do you think she got in like you?"  
  
Miaka leaned on the wall beside the window. She looked at Nuriko's side.  
  
"But isn't there only one Universe of the Four Gods? My brother has it right now.." Miaka trailed off with her words and fell silent.  
  
"She can't be a miko though," pointed out Chiriko as he sipped his tea slowly, "the four mikos have already been chosen."  
  
"Your right.." Hotohori said softly. His tea was left untouched.  
  
"Then why is she here?"  
  
Tasuki poured himself more tea. They were all silent except for the sipping from their mouths.  
  
Nuriko sighed.  
  
"Is she..gonna..tag along?" Nuriko asked as he moved his bangs from his eyes.  
  
Chichiri shook his head in confusion.  
  
"No clue."  
  
Nuriko smiled absentmindedly.  
  
"Then we'll let her decide."  
  
-----  
  
Aya opened her eyes half way.  
  
She couldn't sleep. The room was too bright and it was burning to the point where you could cook eggs on rocks.  
  
Aya got out of bed and looked around the room. The chair in which the young man was sitting in was not tucked. Aya blushed again and felt her forehead. The lips from the boy's kiss still lingered on her forehead.  
  
Aya shook her head from embarrassment and sat on a stool.  
  
"Maybe I should go see him. I have nothing else to do," Aya said out loud, clapping her hands together.  
  
She opened her door slowly and peaked outside.  
  
The hallway was very narrow, but polished to a satisfactory state. Doorways lined the walls leading to unknown rooms.  
  
Aya stepped out of her room uneasily.  
  
Was this the boy's house? Aya had never seen a house like this before in the city.  
  
'Maybe I should call Aki to tell him where I am,' she thought to herself as she walked down the stairs ever so quietly.  
  
As she looked around the strangely decorated building, a cleaning lady passed by Aya.  
  
"Um, excuse me?" asked Aya to the lady, as she was about to climb up the flight of stairs.  
  
The lady turned around irritated and gave Aya a flat smile.  
  
"Yes Miss?" she asked in a hurried tone.  
  
"Can you direct me to the telephone?" Aya asked quietly, staring at the floor uneasily.  
  
The lady looked at her doubtfully and placed her right hand on her hip.  
  
"The 'what phone'?"  
  
Aya looked at the lady in confusion. Surely everyone knew what a telephone was. Maybe she heard her all wrong.  
  
"Telephone," repeated Aya slowly just in case she was speaking too fast.  
  
The lady gave her an annoyed expression.  
  
"Miss, I think you've heard wrong."  
  
And with that, the lady walked away from her up the flight of stairs.  
  
Aya stood there dumbstruck, but collected herself. She finally decided to find the phone herself.  
  
-----  
  
"Ow!"  
  
Mitsukake shook his head.  
  
"Nuriko-san, if you keep on moving like that I might break you back," he said calmly as he poured foul smelling liquid onto his hand and rubbing it onto Nuriko's bare back.  
  
Nuriko glared at him distastefully.  
  
"Well sorry if it hurts like hell!" he grunted as he lay his head back onto his arms.  
  
Tasuki scratched his head.  
  
"You know Nuriko..I could just give you my special backbone relief technique-"  
  
"No!" Nuriko interrupted, waving his hand at Tasuki. "It hurts more than Mitsukake's rubbing! For get it!"  
  
Tasuki shrugged. "Suit yourself, but it's a whole lot quicker."  
  
Chichiri sighed.  
  
"I don't know how you get yourself into these things Nuriko-kun.."  
  
Hotohori looked up from his tea.  
  
"Shouldn't someone check onto girl? It has been awhile," he suggested gulping down his tea slowly trying to savour each drop.  
  
Chiriko looked up from his book and smiled.  
  
"I agree with Hotohori-san," he said cheerfully as he looked at the others, "one of us should go."  
  
Chichiri got up from his seat and headed for the door.  
  
"I'll go no da!"  
  
"Arigato Chichiri-san!" Chiriko called as Chichiri left the room.  
  
Chichiri walked towards Aya's room but soon stopped in his tracks. The door was opened. He stared at the opened door for a second then walked towards it again looking perfectly calm.  
  
"Miss?" Chichiri called as he entered the room.  
  
No one was there.  
  
"Oh my," Chichiri said wearily as he looked around the room and realized she had left.  
  
Chichiri put his hand on his head.  
  
"Not another problem!"  
  
*****  
  
Althe: Hey! ^^ Hope I didn't make too many mistakes heh heh..sorry if this was a bad cliffhanger for you ^^;;; Hope I don't get flames for it again..  
  
At least I finished! ^^ I'll see you all on September! R+R~  
  
Ja ne!  
  
Peace. 


	5. Heading New Directions

Althe: Yo! Sorry for the long update --;;; Went Gainax and Orphen crazy.. but I'm ready to write more of Ayashi No Ceres again ^^ YEAH!!!  
  
::Ayashi No Ceres Entering The World of Angels and Hell::  
  
7. Heading Different Directions  
  
*****  
  
Aya scanned the place carefully.  
  
Who ever owned the house was definitely out of date.  
  
The paint was dirty and stained all over the place, the walls were chipping off, servant looking people wore rags, the place smelled, and if Aya wasn't mistaken, the place looked dated back to the prehistoric time.  
  
Aya's curiosity grew when she realized that the people surrounding her were so..short.  
  
She turned around and found a young lady looking unoccupied at the moment. Unlike the other people Aya had seen, this one seemed to be wearing an expensive looking dress that look fitting for royalty and she was extremely beautiful in looks. Aya went up to her and said rather loudly, "Um, excuse me?"  
  
The lady jumped at Aya's voice, but calmed down instantly the moment she saw her face.  
  
"Oh, it's you. What do you want?"  
  
Aya was quite taken aback by her tone of voice but cooled off and said, "Where am I?"  
  
The lady quirked her eyebrow at her in curiosity then lowered it and smirked.  
  
"This is an inn if you haven't noticed, the restaurant's over there." She jerked her thumb towards Aya's right where she heard loud clatters of dishes and cups. Laughter was heard in the far distance as well.  
  
As Aya turned her eye at the young lady again she was heading towards the exit of the inn.  
  
"Hey!" Aya called as she caught up to the girl, "where are you going?"  
  
The girl turned her head towards Aya and smirked.  
  
"Outside, where else?"  
  
Aya flushed at her response. She was so rude, considering the fact that she had a polite mannered face implanted on her head.  
  
"But where, outside?" Aya asked trying to sound as polite as possible.  
  
"Shopping," she said simply and she turned her head forwards again, but paused for a moment.  
  
"You could come if you want," she said before walking out of the inn and disappearing into the busy crowd of Mikinto.  
  
Aya stood there for a second before screaming out, "Wait for me!"  
  
__________  
  
Tasuki opened his left eye half way as the door opened and Chichiri zoomed in looking desperate.  
  
"What?" Tasuki asked as he looked around the room trying to see what Chichiri was looking for.  
  
"The girl no da!" he said in an upset tone.  
  
"What about the girl?" Tamahome asked as he shifted position on his seat so that he was now facing Chichiri instead of Miaka.  
  
Miaka turned her eyes off Tamahome for a second and said, "Is she hurt?"  
  
"Gone no da," Chichiri said barely getting the words off his tongue.  
  
"Gone?" Chiriko repeated placing his book down on the windowsill where he was seated.  
  
Mitsukake looked up from Nuriko's injuries and paused for a moment before saying, "Do you mean dead?"  
  
Tasuki and Nuriko's head jerked forwards in alarm.  
  
"Dead?" They said in unison.  
  
Chichiri looked at them for a second, a smile scarcely escaping his lips, before saying, "No, just gone."  
  
Tasuki stood up from his stool and raised his fists at Chichiri.  
  
"YOU LET HER OUT OF YOUR SIGHT WHEN SHE COULD BE THE NEXT MIKO??? CHICHIRI, ARE YOU MAD???"  
  
Chichiri had a very hard time containing his sly grin at this point.  
  
"WHAT'S SO GOD DAM FUNNY???" Tasuki yelled, shaking his fists in fiery.  
  
Chichiri shook his head and said calmly, "She's not a miko no da."  
  
Tasuki stared at him in bewilderment. The other's stared at Chichiri too, but with more of a confused look.  
  
"I felt her Ki no da, but..."  
  
"But what?" Tasuki said impatiently as he crossed his arms and raised his eyebrow.  
  
"Someone else inside of her has been one..I can feel it, but I'm not quite sure what it is.."  
  
Hotohori raised his eyebrows in surprise.  
  
"Someone else?"  
  
"Chichiri, are you sick or something?" Tamahome asked, bending his upper body in order to feel Chichiri's forehead.  
  
"No," Chichiri said irritated, pushing Tamahome's hand away.  
  
"Anyways," Chiriko said as he walked towards the door, "I think we should start looking for her."  
  
"Right."  
  
__________  
  
"Why are all these people dressed so strangely?" Aya asked the girl as she peered at everyone awkwardly.  
  
In return, everyone seemed to be staring at her, pointing and whispering secretly.  
  
The girl rolled her eyes, swinging her long silky purple hair in an attractive way.  
  
"It's you who's dressed so strangely," she replied cooling, continuing to walk towards lines of stands full of goods.  
  
Aya said nothing but thought about the comment.  
  
The girl started to browse through hair clips, examining them thoughtfully.  
  
Aya stopped right next to her and looked at the hair clips in awe.  
  
The girl sighed in a pitying way.  
  
She turned to face Aya and held out a colour butterfly hair clip next to her hair.  
  
"Well," the girl said as she got her free hand to rummage through her pockets, "at least it suits you."  
  
Aya tilted her head in confusion as the girl pulled out her purse. What was she talking about?  
  
And as though she had read Aya's mind, the girl turned back to look at more clips before saying, "If your going to hang around, might as well get you dressed in something descent."  
  
"Oh..err, thanks."  
  
Aya didn't know what else to say. She looked around the crowd then remembered something.  
  
"Didn't this town have damages because of the horse incident?"  
  
"Not in this part. It's at the other side of town."  
  
"Oh."  
  
The girl handed the merchandiser the butterfly clip. "I'll take this one."  
  
The man wrapped the clip in a thin brown envelope and the girl gave him money before taking it.  
  
"Thank you miss."  
  
The girl turned around on her heel and set of in a new direction.  
  
"Hey!" Aya called "Wait for me-err..."  
  
The girl turned around and faced Aya again, quirking her eyebrow in curiosity.  
  
Aya felt stupid at this point.  
  
"You didn't mention your name before.." Aya turned her gaze from the girl to the sky.  
  
She could feel the girl give her another smirk.  
  
The girl clicked her tongue and brushed away her bangs revealing her magnificent amber eyes radiating in the sun's light.  
  
"My name?" she said casually as Aya shifted her eyes to stare directly at her.  
  
"My name's Ceres."  
  
*****  
  
Althe: Cliffhanger eh? But I wanted to stop there, so yeah. I hope I'll be able to update soon^^;;;  
  
Ja ne!  
  
R+R~! 


	6. Gone

Althe: Yo! Sorry for the long update^^;;; Damn homework is keeping me up again. Other than that, I'm sleep deprived --;;; So if I have ANY grammatical mistakes then don't blame me. I put this is spell check, read it myself, and my stupid editor's eating--;;;  
  
Any questions that you may have asked me are just too hard to answer--;;; Just read on and you'll find out^^  
  
:::Ayashi No Ceres Entering the World of Angels and Hell:::  
  
8. Gone  
  
*****  
  
-"You didn't mention your name before.." Aya turned her gaze from the girl to the sky.  
  
She could feel the girl give her another smirk.  
  
The girl clicked her tongue and brushed away her bangs revealing her magnificent amber eyes radiating in the sun's light.  
  
"My name?" she said casually as Aya shifted her eyes to stare directly at her.  
  
"My name's Ceres."-  
  
Chichiri sneezed.  
  
"I don't think she's in the hotel no da."  
  
Hotohori shook his head.  
  
"Yes. I think so too."  
  
Chichiri sneezed again and looked out at the front entrance. Could she have taken off so soon? But Why?  
  
Nuriko eyed the place carefully for the second time. No one in strange clothing like Miaka's was here.  
  
"Mah..," Nuriko sighed as he scratched his head in confusion.  
  
Tasuki walked up to the front counter and grabbed the clerk by the collar.  
  
"Oi! Have you seen a strangely dressed girl walk out of this building?"  
  
"Tasuki!" Miaka scolded as she grabbed him by the ear.  
  
Tasuki instantly dropped the man and started cursing at her. The clerk dropped to the ground and gagged for a moment then replied in a trembling voice, "Ye-yes sir!"  
  
Tamahome quirked up his eyebrow.  
  
"Hm? When?" he asked as he shifted his gaze to the entrance then back at the trembling man.  
  
"N-not l-long ago sir!"  
  
"Was there anyone else with her?" Mitsukake asked as he petted Tama gently on the back.  
  
"Ye-yes sir! A beautiful purple haired girl! Th-they t-talked for a, a bi- bit the-then le-left!"  
  
"I see."  
  
"Which direction?" Tamahome asked as he walked towards the door and peered outside where the hot sun beamed.  
  
"I, I do-don't kn-know."  
  
Nuriko rubbed his forehead.  
  
"What to do?" he breathed out quietly as he closed his eyes.  
  
Chichiri looked towards Tamahome's direction.  
  
"We should go now if we want to find her soon no da."  
  
Chiriko nodded.  
  
"Hai!"  
  
-----  
  
Aya blinked and her eyes widened.  
  
"Nani??? Ceres???" she shouted as she pointed to her in surprise.  
  
Ceres sighed.  
  
"Hai, hai."  
  
"Nan-nanda???" Aya cried as she goggled at the gorgeous figure.  
  
Ceres looked up at the sky. Her eyes were clouded with thoughts and feelings.  
  
"Let's go somewhere more quiet to explain things."  
  
Aya looked around.  
  
"Where to?"  
  
Ceres swung her hair back. She paused for a moment and looked at the crowd from behind her. Ceres looked back at Aya.  
  
"Anywhere but here."  
  
-----  
  
"Any sign of her?" Tamahome asked as the group gathered back at the hotel's entrance.  
  
Tasuki shook his head. Tamahome sighed.  
  
"What now?" he asked as he crossed his arms and looked at the thick crowd of people zooming in and out of stores and restaurants.  
  
Chichiri scratched his head.  
  
"I dunno no da."  
  
Nuriko sighed and gazed absentmindedly at the crowd in front of him. He stopped at a beautiful purple haired goddess and planted his eyes on her. There were no words to express it but one. She was just beautiful. He gazed at her for a couple of moments as the rest of the gang started discussing matters.  
  
"Well, we could always just ditch her you know," Tasuki said dully as he placed his hands behind his head.  
  
"Tasuki-san, that isn't right though...," Chiriko said in a pitying voice.  
  
"What's right and wrong Chiriko? I've probably killed about twenty people by now and loads of gals still consider me as the hero!"  
  
"That's not the point Tasuki-san...."  
  
"We better hurry on finding her," Hotohori said worriedly, "we can't waste time here."  
  
"I know," Tamahome said as he yawned lazily.  
  
Nuriko didn't take notice of the conversation. He just kept on staring. Something about the girl seemed so familiar. Kourin? No. It couldn't be.  
  
"A beautiful purple haired girl...," Nuriko said absentmindedly.  
  
Tasuki turned his head.  
  
"You say something Nuriko?"  
  
"..."  
  
Tasuki raised his eyebrow.  
  
"Nuriko?"  
  
Nuriko didn't reply.  
  
Hotohori and the others took notice of Nuriko's strange behaviour and all looked at him.  
  
Nuriko took no notice.  
  
The purple haired girl swung her hair revealing her magnificent amber eyes. She stared at Nuriko and Nuriko stared back.  
  
He blinked.  
  
As the purple haired girl turned her head, Nuriko managed to see the girl he had saved earlier waiting for her. Nuriko's eyes widened.  
  
"Oi!" He shouted as he chased after them.  
  
"Nuriko!" cried the other's as they ran after him.  
  
It's her, Nuriko thought to himself. It's her!  
  
But as Nuriko came to a stop where the two girls were, they were already gone.  
  
Nuriko formed a fist with his right hand.  
  
"Damn."  
  
*****  
  
Althe: Done! Sorry it was so short but I have a Resources Map to finish up-- ;;; I'll try to update ASAP neh? Well, hoped ya liked it!  
  
Peace. 


	7. Stop Running Away

DISCLAIMER: Stop bothering me. You know I only have a penny worth of furniture in my house. Why the hell would I have a million dollars worth of series to own?  
  
Althe: I have a lot of homework people. Don't expect me to update every single week. It may take even a month.  
  
Thanks for pointing out my mistakes. But I won't be editing any of this until I finish the whole story, k? I'll make sure the next chapters are good though!  
  
Other than that, enjoy and review! ^^  
  
:::Ayashi No Ceres Entering the World of Angels and Hell:::  
  
9. Stop Running Away  
  
*****  
  
-It's her, Nuriko thought to himself. It's her!  
  
But as Nuriko came to a stop where the two girls were, they were already gone.  
  
Nuriko formed a fist with his right hand.  
  
"Damn."-  
  
Aya rushed after Ceres as she walked away hurriedly.  
  
"Wait up!" she called as she pushed through the thick crowd of shoppers.  
  
"Hurry up then!" Ceres replied briskly as she looked back at Aya.  
  
Aya nearly tripped over a young toddler as she rushed past a merchandise cart.  
  
"Gomen!" she said and hurried off to Ceres.  
  
Aya paused for a second as she heard screams behind her. She turned around and stared for a moment at the blinding crowd. Who was calling?  
  
"What are you doing?" Ceres shouted as she turned around and grabbed Aya's wrist. "We have to go!"  
  
With that, Ceres half dragged and half lead Aya away from the storming crowds and shops.  
  
-----  
  
"Nuriko!" Tamahome gasped as he stopped right next to his companion.  
  
"Did you see her?" Chichiri asked as he looked around his surroundings.  
  
Nuriko stood there breathing deeply as the rest of the gang came hurrying towards them. As they all looked at him, he shook his head.  
  
"Damn," Tasuki cursed.  
  
An irritated smile appeared on his face. This was harder than he thought.  
  
"Screw this you guys. Let's just go before more trouble stirs up."  
  
Miaka tilted her head a bit.  
  
"But she won't be able to get back to her own world without our help."  
  
"So? She'll be able to figure it out herself."  
  
"But what if that was me Tasuki!"  
  
Tasuki stood there silently for a moment, thinking. He finally sighed and said roughly, "Dammit. Have it your way."  
  
Miaka smiled.  
  
Hotohori frowned.  
  
"Which way did they go?"  
  
Nuriko smiled at him wearily.  
  
"That's the problem."  
  
Tasuki quirked up his eyebrow.  
  
"Problem?"  
  
Nuriko looked up at the crowd.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
Chiriko sighed.  
  
"Come on, we might catch up to them if we head off now."  
  
-----  
  
Aya and Ceres stopped outside of town where the meadows were. Aya stared at the place in awe as Ceres sat down under a big oak tree.  
  
"This place brings back old memories," Ceres sighed as she looked around with her gleaming eyes.  
  
Aya looked at her curiously.  
  
"You've been here before?"  
  
"Many times, but that was years ago."  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
Ceres smiled.  
  
"What are you?" Aya asked as she walked up to her and sat next to her.  
  
"I am you."  
  
"Are you a Tennyo?"  
  
"You could say that."  
  
"But those are just fairytales."  
  
Ceres said nothing. She just looked longingly faraway at something Aya couldn't see.  
  
"....They are fairytales....aren't they?"  
  
Aya continued to watch Ceres. Finally, they both stared into each other's eyes.  
  
After a moment, Aya blinked. Ceres looked away and laughed.  
  
"What are fairytales Aya? Are they really just made up?"  
  
Aya stared at Ceres, not knowing what to say. Ceres got up and walked around in long circles. Aya followed her every graceful move.  
  
"Long ago I was recarnated into a young girl's body that soon entered this world before she turned sixteen. She became a miko and journeyed off with her seven companions. When her birthday soon came, she was in a temple that sensed another being in her body. They released me and I destroyed the whole temple. She continued her journey and when it soon ended, she was devoured because of the hatred and evil corrupting her soul because of me."  
  
"Why am I here?" Aya asked her in an almost desperate voice. "Why?"  
  
"I originally wanted to take you back to the past when Mikage was still alive, but..."  
  
"But?"  
  
"But I guess I wanted to see this place one more time. I'm not sure myself why we're here, but all I know is that I wasted all my magic trying to get here so you won't be getting home soon. Stick with those friends of yours. They'll help you."  
  
Ceres walked towards Aya and faced her.  
  
"Be careful."  
  
And with that, she placed her lips on Aya's and gently faded away. Aya felt Ceres's warmth enter her body.  
  
Aya sighed.  
  
"What do you mean Ceres?" Aya asked softly, knowing that she wouldn't answer her. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Oi!"  
  
Aya jumped at the voice.  
  
She turned around and found eight people running towards her.  
  
"There you are!" a purple haired boy said tiredly.  
  
An orange haired boy chuckled a little and put his hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Just DON'T run away again, OK?"  
  
Aya nodded blankly.  
  
Who were these people?  
  
She spotted the cute boy she had met early and blinked. He winked at her.  
  
"You're coming with us now," he said cheerfully.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
The orange haired boy nodded.  
  
"Don't want you getting lost again now do we?"  
  
Aya blushed and shook her head.  
  
"Atta girl. Now let's go. We've wasted enough time here."  
  
The others nodded. Chichiri smiled at Aya.  
  
"I don't think we've introduced each other yet."  
  
Aya nodded. She wasn't in a speaking mode at the moment. Her mind was still whirling in confusion.  
  
"I'm Chichiri."  
  
"Nuriko."  
  
"Mitsukake."  
  
"Chiriko."  
  
"Hotohori."  
  
Tamahome winked at Aya again.  
  
"I'm Tamahome."  
  
"Tasuki."  
  
Miaka went up to Aya.  
  
"Hi! I'm Miaka! Which part of Japan do you live in?"  
  
Aya blinked.  
  
"T-Tokyo."  
  
"Really??? Me too!"  
  
Aya stared at the girl. Miaka's smile widened.  
  
"Don't worry. We'll get you home."  
  
And with that, Miaka grabbed Aya's hand and they ran across the meadows to their next destination.  
  
*****  
  
Althe: Whew! Done! Write more later. Too tired. Modern-Eponine (Aya) is coming over to my house today! ^^Yeah! Have to prepare for that! Aya's at the verge of liking Tamahome or Tasuki, but that's all I'm gonna say! ^^ Check my bio to know when I'm gonna update!  
  
R+R~!  
  
Ja ne! 


	8. Horse Ride

Althe: So sleepy....-_____________-;;;Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah...Homework load is lighter....but that's probably 'cause the teachers are giving us more tests and exams . All in all, I can't complain. ^^In fact, I'm happy!....But nonetheless, sleepy.  
  
:::Ayashi No Ceres Entering the World of Angels and Hell:::  
  
11. Horse Ride  
  
*****  
  
"Where are we going?" Aya asked curiously as she mounted onto the new horses Hotohori bought.  
  
She patted the horse's brown mane. He shook his head as if to wipe off something infected on his face. Aya smiled. Aside from it having leather coloured skin, the white crescent on its forehead gave the horse much beauty. He huffed from his nostrils and stomped on the floor with his hooves.  
  
Tasuki hopped onto the saddle along side with Aya.  
  
"We're going to Kentaro. There's some business I have to attend there," Tasuki replied as he ignored the confused face he got from his companion.  
  
Tasuki looked at his horse worriedly. He looked up at Hotohori and frowned.  
  
"They're safe to ride, right?"  
  
Hotohori nodded as he mounted on his horse along side with Nuriko. His nod was convincing to a point, but they was some uncertainty in his look. Tasuki quirked his eyebrow at him, but Hotohori ignored it and grabbed the rein.  
  
The others hopped onto their saddle and clomped off on the dirt road.  
  
Miaka gave Aya another big smile as she secured herself in Tamahome's arms.  
  
"Do you know how you got here?" she asked as Tasuki's horse trotted along side Tamahome's.  
  
Aya closed her eyes in confusion. It was all vivid now. She could barely remember where she was before she had gotten here. Aya opened her eyes again and shook her head lightly.  
  
"I'm not sure. I was on this boat....with my brother and friends. I think I fell overboard. That's about all I remember."  
  
Miaka placed her fingertip on her chin and looked heavenward, lost in thought. She looked back at Aya sympathetically.  
  
"Did you ever hear about, 'The Book Of The Four Gods'?"  
  
"No."  
  
Miaka shrugged.  
  
"Then you couldn't have come the same way I did. I got here by the book."  
  
Aya quirked up her eyebrow in question at Miaka.  
  
"You got here from a book?" she said in a disbelief tone of voice.  
  
"Yep."  
  
Aya shook her head and sighed.  
  
"I think I need aspirin," she said as she placed her hand on her forehead to stop the black dots dancing in front of her vision.  
  
Tasuki gave out one of his dazzling smiles.  
  
"You can take a nap. It's gonna be a long trip."  
  
Aya nodded and closed her eyes, resting her head on Tasuki's chest. Miaka gave the group a curious look.  
  
"You know, we could have stayed at Mikinto. Night's already coming."  
  
Tamahome ruffled her hair. "Nah, the villagers kept on giving Nuriko and Hotohori the evil eye."  
  
"Shut up," Nuriko said agitatedly. "It wasn't my fault."  
  
Tamahome shrugged.  
  
There was a long pause before Chichiri looked up at Tasuki.  
  
"Why are we going to Kentaro Tasuki-kun?" Chichiri asked as he raised his eyebrow at Tasuki.  
  
Tamahome shifted his eyes to Tasuki. "Yeah, why are we going there for? The place is a dump. Even the mayor doesn't support that village anymore. They by anarchy now."  
  
Tasuki shook his head in disgust at Tamahome. "Not entirely true....besides, I need to go see someone over there."  
  
"You mean Chien?" Chichiri asked.  
  
Tasuki looked at him curiously. "How did you know?"  
  
"Chien's well known to all monks in this area."  
  
"There's a monk living in Kentaro?" Tamahome asked in disbelief.  
  
"Yeah, you have a problem with that?" Tasuki asked, raising his eyebrows.  
  
Tamahome shrugged.  
  
"It's just hard to believe. What, did people rob him blind or something? Kentaro is the worst place to be in."  
  
Tasuki narrowed his eyes at him. Tamahome gave him a palm up, but quickly placed his hands back on the reins because his horse started to go off course.  
  
"Tasuki-san, isn't Chien-san related to you?" Chiriko said, looking up at him from his book.  
  
"He's my cousin. The little bastard has something of mine and I want it back."  
  
Tamahome barked with laughter.  
  
"Your related to a monk? Boy, you sure are full of surprises Tasuki," Tamahome said, grinning down at the peeved fang mouthed boy.  
  
"Quit being an ass Tamahome. It's not like your family was any better."  
  
Tamahome narrowed his eyes at him. (Quick note. This took place after Tamahome's family got..er..how can I put it in a horrible way? Decapitated maybe. Though, I don't recall them getting decapitated. More like slaughtered.-[author's note])  
  
"Watch that stupid mouth of yours Tasuki. You might find it off your head one day. My family was perfectly normal."  
  
"Too bad it wasn't hereditary."  
  
"Hey, I'm much more normal than you'd ever be."  
  
"You couldn't be normal for a whole day even if it smacked you in the face."  
  
"Speak for yourself. You probably drink from a water bowl."  
  
"Like you don't."  
  
Chiriko looked at them worriedly.  
  
"Shouldn't we stop them?" he asked, nudging Mitsukake to move over, away from the babbling fight.  
  
Nuriko waved his hand lazily.  
  
"Nah. Let them fight. We only get entertainment like this once in a while."  
  
Chiriko frowned at Nuriko, but gave out a huge sigh and continued reading his book.  
  
"I'm going to burn you to a crisp if you don't shut up Tamahome!" Tasuki roared waving his right hand at Tamahome in disgust.  
  
"Make me," Tamahome mocked, sticking his tongue out at him.  
  
Miaka looked sternly at the two bickering boys.  
  
"Stop it Tama!"  
  
*****  
  
Althe: Don't worry! This is just intermission. Just to let you know, I just came back from watching a movie called, 'Bad Santa'...other than that, I just drank cola.  
  
Now, if I drink cola, then I get sugar high. When I get sugar high, I need to jump around and go crazy for a while....which I didn't do.  
  
Dang.  
  
Okay, ^___________________________^ ..^_____________^;...^_____^;;;  
  
@)#$(*$%&*#$*@#$*#@$*(#@$*&@#$*&#@$  
  
WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE  
  
^_______________________________________________^  
  
PINK ELEPHANT RULES!!!  
  
DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVEY  
  
Maybe I should shut up and get on with the program.....--;;;  
  
BTW the characters will be definitely OOC. Don't blame me. Blame the dang forsaken man that found sugar...and invented sooooooooooda^^  
  
Remember, OOC. Don't blame me. Blame the person who rushed me on this chapter...*coughcoughcoughayacoughcoughcoughaya*  
  
.......okay...I just woke up. And now it's morning. Don't ask any questions....damn I had the strangest dream last night. Damn. I think it was because of watching Bad Santa...lord doesn't even know how strange it is...  
  
Anyways...on with the show....(I feel as if I have a hangover....--;;;Too much sugar)  
  
*****  
  
After many hours of non-stop argument, the group finally quieted down...to some extent.  
  
"I wonder," Miaka said, looking up at the starry sky in thought, "how are we gonna get her home?"  
  
Tamahome looked down at Miaka in confusion.  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked, ruffling her hair playfully.  
  
"Well, I came from the book while Aya just popped out of nowhere. Wouldn't that mean that she has to go home from another way and not mine?"  
  
Tasuki and Nuriko stared at Miaka for a while before exchanging glances.  
  
"You actually thought about this?" Tasuki said, surprised that Miaka would think about something else other than food.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"You know, I'm not sure anymore. Maybe she's meant to stay here. I mean, for all we know, she could be living in different time periods than you," Nuriko said, eyeing Aya's sleeping form with concern in his eyes.  
  
The group was silent for a moment as they thought things over to themselves.  
  
The sky had darkened into pure blackness except for the many stars that lined it. There was no moon in site, which made the scenery more mysterious and beautiful.  
  
Nuriko yawned lazily as he stretched his arms. He rested his head on Hotohori's shoulder, but he didn't sleep. His head was too busy thinking of the situation they had gotten themselves into. How they now had two girls from another world. Not to mention having the Seiyuu on their behinds every once in a while.  
  
Two eyes locked their vision on Nuriko and he shivered. Nuriko opened his eyes to see who was watching him in such an irritating way. His eyes widened as he was looking straight into Aya's blue piercing eyes.  
  
They looked at each other like that for a long time, no one saying anything.  
  
Finally, Aya mouthed out some words at Nuriko, too choked to say them out loud. 'I can't go home, can I?'  
  
Nuriko widened his eyes at her once more, his mouth slightly opened in shock. She had heard every word they had said.  
  
Aya repeated her words once more, blinking back tears. Nuriko said nothing. He couldn't. There was nothing he could say to make the girl anymore happier.  
  
"Hm?" Tasuki said, realizing that his horse companion was awake. "What are you looking at?"  
  
Tasuki looked up at Nuriko, then back to Aya.  
  
"She talking to you Nuriko?" he asked, catching the others attention almost instantly.  
  
Nuriko looked away. He couldn't bear looking at her at the moment.  
  
Tears streamed down Aya's cheeks as she stared at Nuriko silently.  
  
"Look at me Nuriko!" she shouted, almost pushing Tasuki off the horse in frustration.  
  
Nuriko didn't budge. He just kept on staring at the dark dusty road.  
  
"Tell me!"  
  
Nuriko took in some air and stared directly at Aya unblinkingly. She too stared back at him, but with more anger in her eyes.  
  
He closed his eyes and sighed before jumping down from the horse. Nuriko then grabbed the reins gently and began leading it towards its destination.  
  
Aya kept on staring at him, too lost to know what to say. They were silent for a beat before she spoke again.  
  
"Well?" she said, emotion now running in her voice.  
  
Nuriko didn't look at her. He just kept on walking silently on the road.  
  
"Go to sleep....Aya."  
  
*****  
  
Althe: Yepee!!! Done! Ummmm...to answer some of your questions....Ceres is the miko with the turtle thingy...yeah, I suck at remembering names--;;;  
  
Don't know what else to say...um.....Yo yo yo! Wassssuuuuuuup???  
  
Ummmm...like, Nuri and Aya are heading up for a bad start, neh?  
  
^________________^  
  
Hope ya enjoyed it!  
  
R+R~!  
  
Ja ne!  
  
BTW:  
  
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! (I'll update double 'cause of the New Year^^) 


	9. Ambush

Althe: Hey! Wassup? Early update, neh?  
  
Be grateful I update earlier than SOMEONE *looks at modern-eponine evilly* But, nonetheless, I won't tell you that person's name (coughcoughcoughmodern-eponinecoughcoughcough) cause it might tarnish her reputation^^  
  
Cheers!  
  
BTW, I deleted my notes cause it was annoying....that's why it appears that I have less chapters than before. Heh heh heh^-^;;;  
  
:::Ayashi No Ceres Entering the World of Angels and Hell:::  
  
10. Ambush  
  
*****  
  
-"Tell me!"  
  
Nuriko took in some air and stared directly at Aya unblinkingly. She too stared back at him, but with more anger in her eyes.  
  
He closed his eyes and sighed before jumping down from the horse. Nuriko then grabbed the reins gently and began leading it towards its destination.  
  
Aya kept on staring at him, too lost to know what to say. They were silent for a beat before she spoke again.  
  
"Well?" she said, emotion now running in her voice.  
  
Nuriko didn't look at her. He just kept on walking silently on the road.  
  
"Go to sleep....Aya."-  
  
The sunlight streamed in Aya's eyes as she yawned lazily from her saddle.  
  
They had rode the whole night through the dusty trail and they still weren't in Kentaro.  
  
Aya yawned again.  
  
She hadn't slept much. Mostly because she had been cursing Nuriko's death the whole time. I mean, having to hear the theories of you can't going home to your nice comfy bed and when asking if that was true, you get a 'go to bed' answer. She was as angry as hell....well, only to that deranged purple headed girl wannabe of a freak. (. *starts slapping myself* I'll never forgive myself!)  
  
"Good morning," Nuriko said cheerfully, smiling at the blue-eyed girl.  
  
Aya snorted at him, tossing hair back in a irritated fashion.  
  
Nuriko sighed heavily.  
  
"Mah, stop giving me that look. Even I don't know the answer to your question."  
  
Aya shot him a glare (=Kaiba style glare!^^;;;....do you ppl even know who Kaiba is?--;;;).  
  
Nuriko sighed again, scratching his head in frustration.  
  
"Can't we just get along?" he asked hopefully, sending her the most handsome die for smile he could conjure up.  
  
Believe me, it would have worked if it weren't for Aya's thoughts of him being retarded.  
  
"I hope you die with a pole rammed up your ass Nuriko," she said briskly, shaking her head at him in disgust.  
  
Tamahome made a face of sympathy for a deranged form of Nuriko.  
  
"Ouch," he said giving Aya a nervous smile, "I'd hate to think what would happen if you were an axe right now."  
  
"He'd be bleeding with his organs emboweled and his skin ripped," Aya said, in a more respectful tone for the handsome senshi warrior.  
  
Nuriko flinched at her words.  
  
So much for friendship.  
  
Tasuki laughed.  
  
"Man. And I thought Nakago was freaky," he chuckled, stopping when he saw Nuriko's flamed up face.  
  
"Mah, mah," Nuriko said, eyeing Aya with no humour at all, "She'll softened up later."  
  
It was Aya's turn to eye Nuriko in sheer disgust and hatred.  
  
"Nuriko," she said, catching the boy's undivided attention.  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"When I first met you...." she paused, her voice softening and her cheeks glowing a faint red.  
  
Nuriko smiled. He knew she'd soften up sometime, but not this fast. It must have been his good looks and cool personality.  
  
"When I first met you...." she repeated, looking up at Nuriko. Her blush vanished and her voice hardened. "I thought you were a girl."  
  
Nuriko nearly toppled over his horse with her remark.  
  
"A-a girl?" he repeated with a bit of disbelief in his voice. He was fooled. She was still bitchy to him.  
  
Tasuki and Tamahome started laughing, nearly toppling over their horse as well.  
  
"A girl? Man, who would have thought," Tasuki said sarcastically, ignoring Nuriko's warning glares.  
  
"I'm not done yet," Aya snapped. She looked down at Nuriko, 'pissed' written all over her face.  
  
"But now, I find that you're nothing like a girl," Aya said, seeing the relieved look on Nuriko's face. She shot him a glare before continuing again, "I find you're far worse than a girl."  
  
Nuriko raised his eyebrow at her.  
  
"What's that suppose to mean?" he asked, fearing the worst of her answer.  
  
"Don't get me wrong. I don't think you're a guy either."  
  
"What?!"  
  
Tasuki and Tamahome started barking with laughter again.  
  
"I think you're a stubborn jackass with the lowest self esteem I have ever seen."  
  
"Nanda~~~?" Nuriko said helplessly, a bit taken aback by her response.  
  
"I would have thought you were gay if it weren't for the fact that you've managed to frighten away all the men and women in Mikinto," Aya said, fanning herself with her hand from the heat.  
  
Nuriko smiled wearily at her.  
  
"I'll take that as a compliment," he said, trying his best to get to her good side.  
  
Ah, if it were only that simple.  
  
"You shouldn't, Nuriko," Aya said wearily, waving that thought aside with her hand.  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"I'm saying that you'd probably have to marry a barbarian living in the mountains if you keep this up."  
  
This time, Nuriko literally fell off his horse, followed by Tamahome and Tasuki, but it wasn't from shock, it was from laughing too hard.  
  
*****  
  
Ami (Althe's sister) and Aya (AKA Modern-eponine) look at a bitter form of Althe as she bangs her head continuously on a wall with a thousand spikes stuck on it.  
  
Aya with a sweat drop: You know, you're gonna lose brain cells if you keep this up.  
  
Althe still banging her head: STUPID STUPID STUPID!!!  
  
Ami looking at the confused readers: Hi. Don't worry. This is just intermission. As you can see, Althe, my stupid sister, is banging her head on a wall.  
  
Aya: Yeah, speak the obvious Ami.  
  
Althe still banging her head: STUPID STUPID STUPID!!!  
  
Aya with a sweat drop: She's been at it ever since she finished this chapter...  
  
Ami: Man, just seeing her makes me grateful I'm not in love with a gay man.  
  
Aya: Hey, take that back! Nuriko's not gay!  
  
Althe still banging her head: STUPID STUPID STUPID!!!  
  
Aya and Ami look at the confused readers, then back at Althe.  
  
Ami: Umm....you might want to know why we're in intermission...  
  
Aya: Or why she's banging her head.  
  
Althe still banging her head: STUPID STUPID STUPID!!!  
  
Ami: Ouch. Is this what you call verbal attack?  
  
Aya: I guess...  
  
Ami: Anyways, my idiotic sister, is trying to take it out on herself just because she's making a fool of one of her loves.  
  
Aya: 'One' of her loves?  
  
Ami: Yeah. She also loves Tasuki (not as much though), Chichiri (not as much though), Yuuhi, Aki, Gohan (not so much anymore), Miroku, Sesshomaru, Naraku, Cloud, Balmung, Kawru, Saitou, Shishio, Sanosuke, Enishi, Nanahara, Kawada, Blue, Lee, Tori, Malik....Ah, geez. I forgot the others.  
  
Aya with sweat drop: There's more?  
  
Ami: Yeah. Of course. Want me to point out who she thinks are cute?  
  
Aya: No, I don't think we want to fill up ten pages, now do we?  
  
Althe still banging her head: STUPID STUPID STUPID!!!  
  
Aya with sweat drop: Shouldn't we stop her?  
  
Ami waving her hand lazily: Nah, we only get this kind of entertainment every once in a while....  
  
*****  
  
Chichiri slowed his horse down in front of the two laughing boys.  
  
"We should get going no da. We're nearing Kentaro."  
  
"Yeah, sure," Tamahome said, grinning at a shadowy figure of Nuriko as he got up on his horse.  
  
To keep a long story short, they were silent the rest or the way.  
  
------  
  
"I don't think this is going to work."  
  
"Of course it is. We're just going to get the girl."  
  
"I know, but my cousin can be a real bastard at times. I'd hate to face him then."  
  
"He's your cousin. I'm sure you can handle him."  
  
"I could, but I have his trinket. He's been after it for years."  
  
Nakago smiled at the houshi's (monk) remark.  
  
"You'll be fine, Chien. Just don't let him burn you to a crisp."  
  
With that, Nakago vanished into the darkness.  
  
Chien sighed, crossing his legs and closing his eyes in meditation.  
  
"Easy for you to say. You don't have an ass for a cousin."  
  
-----  
  
Hotohori frowned at the path up ahead. It seemed oddly familiar.  
  
"Wait," Hotohori called towards Chichiri and Mitsukake who were up ahead. "It think we're going around in circles."  
  
Tamahome looked around the area thoughtfully.  
  
"Well, that explains the reason why I keep on running up to this boulder."  
  
Chichiri slowed his horse down and looked around.  
  
"There's something here," he said, raising his staff.  
  
The rest of the gang got off their horses (except for the girls--;;; like they can fight. One's too fat and the other's too pissed-[author's note]) preparing themselves for whatever lay hidden in the bushes or trees.  
  
They waited impatiently, but nothing happened. Not the soft blow of the wind to disturb the grave silence that engulfed the senshi and their miko.  
  
Tasuki sighed, putting his fan back to its holder.  
  
He looked back at his horse as he said, "There's no one here Chichiri-"  
  
Tasuki stopped mid sentence, staring wide-eyed at the figure on his horse, holding a sleeping form of Aya.  
  
The other's looked his direction and grabbed their weapons once more, preparing for an unwelcoming fight.  
  
Tasuki pulled out his fan, eyeing the suspicious character.  
  
"What the-....Chien!" Tasuki growled, giving his young cousin a pissed off look.  
  
Chien smiled at Tasuki, still holding Aya firmly in his hands.  
  
"Long time no see, Tasuki-kun," he said, looking as if nothing had happened those past few minutes.  
  
Tasuki lowered his fan, still glaring at the robed black haired boy.  
  
"Dammit Chien! What the hell are you doing?"  
  
"I thought you wanted to see me."  
  
"Yes, but not like this!"  
  
"Oh well. So much for happy timing."  
  
With that, Chien untied the white cloak he had on and wrapped around it Aya until she was out of site. Tasuki raised his eyebrow in question at his cousin.  
  
"Nani? What are you doing, Chien?"  
  
Chien smiled down at Tasuki before snatching the cloak away from Aya, except, the girl wasn't there. It appeared as if she had disappeared, but how?  
  
Tasuki raised his fan once more that the boy.  
  
"What happened? Where's Aya?"  
  
"Hm? Aya? So that's her name.... Don't worry. She's safe."  
  
"Dammit Chien! I don't have time for your games!"  
  
Chien reached around his neck and came up with a golden trinket tied with a plain string. Tasuki narrowed his eyes at him.  
  
"And I half expected that you lost it," Tasuki said, raising his fan. "Rekka Shien!"  
  
Chien dodged the flame with great ease, landing on the ground.  
  
"Hm. I guess you won't forgive me after this sinful act Tasuki," Chien said, pausing a bit to stare at the angered fanged boy. "Still hate me?"  
  
"Of course! You stole me goddam trinket!" he cried, shaking his fan at him.  
  
Chien raised the golden necklace up in the sky, looking at it thoughtfully.  
  
"Ah, yes. Uncle gave this to you before he tried, neh? Here. I don't need it anymore."  
  
And with that, Chien tossed the trinket to Tasuki. Tasuki caught the trinket and was about to protest with Chien, but he was gone.  
  
*****  
  
Althe still banging her head: STUPID STUPID STUPID!!!  
  
Aya with sweat drop: She's going for a record  
  
Ami: Your telling me. I'd hate to think what would happen if she was doing this with Sesshomaru.  
  
Althe still banging her head: BAKA!!! I would kill myself if I did anything to Sesshomaru! STUPID STUPID STUPID!!!  
  
Aya: You know, the chapter's over  
  
Althe still banging her head: STUPID STUPID STUPID!!!  
  
Aya with sweat drop: You can stop now, Aki (=That's Althe's nickname)  
  
Althe still banging her head: STUPID STUPID STUPID!!!  
  
Aya: ....Aki?  
  
Ami: She won't listen. She never does.  
  
Althe still banging her head: STUPID STUPID STUPID!!!  
  
Nuriko enters the room cheerfully, not noticing the bloody scene in front of his eyes.  
  
Aya and Ami: Nuriko!  
  
Nuriko: Eh? Nani?  
  
Aya: We need you to tell Aki that she's forgiven  
  
Nuriko: About what?  
  
Ami: Haven't you been reading?  
  
Nuriko: Hm? Reading what?  
  
With that, the two girls shove this particular chapter in front of Nuriko's eyes.  
  
Nuriko: Hm?....What the hell? Who wrote this?  
  
Two point at the bloody banging head Althe.  
  
Nuriko: Eh? What's she doing?  
  
Ami: Trying to kill herself because of what she wrote  
  
Nuriko: And what do you want me to do?  
  
Aya: Give her a kis-*Nuri runs away before she could finish her sentence*  
  
Althe still banging her head: STUPID STUPID STUPID!!!  
  
Aya: What are we going to do now?  
  
Ami grabs a bag of butter popcorn and pulls up a chair.  
  
Ami: Enjoy the show of course.  
  
Althe still banging her head: STUPID STUPID STUPID!!! 


	10. Enemy Base

Althe rubbing her head miserably: ...  
  
Ami: Remember me? I'm that idiot's sister *starts pointing at Althe*  
  
Althe rubbing her head miserably: ...  
  
Modern-Eponine: Remember me? I'm Althe's unfailing half sister!  
  
Althe rubbing her head miserably: ...  
  
Ami: Whew. I thought she'd never stop banging her head  
  
ME: Same. It's like, what? The third week?  
  
Ami: Yep. But she only stopped to finish this chapter  
  
ME: Aki? (Althe's nickname)  
  
Althe rubbing her head miserably: ...what?  
  
ME: Omg! She actually answered me!  
  
Althe rubbing her head miserably: ...so?  
  
Ami: Doesn't matter. Anyways...still hung up on Nuriko?  
  
Tears starts forming around Althe's eyes.  
  
Althe sniffing: Please...Don't remind me  
  
ME: Geez. I thought you liked Eiri Yuki the gay man and all those other creeps you truly desire  
  
Althe sniffing: Yeah, I like them. And Yuki is NOT gay. But...*starts sobbing*  
  
Ami sighing: What now?  
  
Althe: Nuriko...  
  
Ami: Nuriko?  
  
Althe: Nu-Nuriko...dies! *fits of tears start streaming down her cheek*  
  
ME: WHAT?!  
  
Ami dully: Eh? Why?  
  
Althe: Because...because...  
  
11. Enemy Base  
  
:::Cross Hearts::: =Did ya notice? I changed the title of the fic!  
  
*****  
  
Nuriko rubbed his shoulders wearily.  
  
The group had spent three days and three nights searching for Aya. They had no luck with her.  
  
To make matters worse, they were going off course on their main goal. To summon Suzaku.  
  
Nuriko brushed his damp bangs away from his eyes.  
  
Tamahome and the others were sitting near the campfire, thin wool blankets wrapped around their tired and cold bodies. No one talked. They all just looked into the crackling fire, lost in their train of thought.  
  
Nuriko shook he head, as if trying to keep himself awake.  
  
Even under the circumstance that they were all in, he felt bored. He needed to do something to get his mind off the matter, but what?  
  
The purple-haired boy absentmindedly stood up from his spot under the oak tree. He looked around his surroundings without much interest. They were in the middle of a thick forest.  
  
Nuriko knew the group had no direction in these foreign lands. In other words, they were lost. Again.  
  
"I'm going to collect more firewood," he said softly as if to not disturb the dark eerie night.  
  
No one answered him. All that came out of their mouths were a 'Hm.'  
  
Nuriko took that as a sign and headed off to whichever direction he did not know.  
  
Twigs and dried leaves snapped under his feet as he fast walked down the narrow dirt path. Thorns from bushes and sharp branches scratched at his boots and arms, but he didn't care. There were more important things at hand.  
  
The path ended to a clearing. The clouds had moved to reveal the beautiful moon, allowing Nuriko to see his mysterious surroundings.  
  
At the centre of the clearing was a small hot spring surrounded by tall grasses. The grass was dewy and lush from the morning's pouring rain.  
  
The scenery was beautiful.  
  
Nuriko walked towards the spring and sat himself in front of it. He kicked his shoes of and rolled up his pants knee high.  
  
He dipped his feet slowly in the hot water. Nuriko sighed happily as his aching feet seemed to relax in the refreshing water.  
  
The day's walking had tired him some bit, especially since they mostly just walked around in circles.  
  
A soft mist of steam floated around the area. It made the scenery more calm and enjoyable.  
  
Nuriko looked up at the bright moon sadly. He had let Chien take Aya. It may have sounded stupid, but he felt morally wrong. She had been angry with him. It made him feel terrible. Knowing that someone hated you...yet....you couldn't make up with them because you knew you'd never see the person again.  
  
He never knew that feeling before. Until now.  
  
The feeling that you have as if there's a gap in your heart.  
  
Nuriko shook his head furiously. He was thinking too much like a girl.  
  
Heh. And to think he was doing drag just a few months ago.  
  
He kicked and splashed at the water, breaking the cool silence around him.  
  
The clouds shifted and the moon was once again covered. Darkness filled the area.  
  
Nuriko blinked.  
  
He had to head back.  
  
He reluctantly took his feet out of the water and slid them on the grass fruitlessly trying to dry them.  
  
He unrolled his pants and got up, taking his shoes in his right hand and walking bare foot back to the barely visible path.  
  
A noise from behind him caught his attention. It was the rustle of leaves. He turned just in time to see a figure jump up into a tall oak tree.  
  
Nuriko dropped his shoes and his hands formed fists, preparing for an attack of any kind.  
  
"Show yourself!" Nuriko said loudly, looking in all directions.  
  
No reply came but the hiss of the wind.  
  
His hair blew softly, but Nuriko didn't dare brush his bangs away from his eyes. It was a pointless move to make because he couldn't see in the first place.  
  
After a few more minutes of standing, Nuriko lowered his fists ever so slightly.  
  
The chi he had felt earlier was gone.  
  
Nuriko bent down to retrieve his now grass stained shoes. He let out a weary sigh. He was never going to get the stains off.  
  
And with one last look around him, Nuriko walked away.  
  
::::::::::::::::::::::::  
  
Chiriko opened his eyes slowly.  
  
The sun beamed high up in the sky, washing his face with light.  
  
He rubbed his eyes sleepily, looking around at the others who were getting up slowly as well.  
  
Tasuki yawned loudly, not bothering to cover his mouth.  
  
"I think I slept on my arm," he mumbled, rubbing his left arm as if trying to revive it.  
  
"Now wasn't that stupid?" Tamahome said in his usual tone of annoyance.  
  
"Hey, at least I didn't have to wake up with a two ton elephant beside me," Tasuki shot back, emphasising the words, 'two ton elephant'.  
  
Miaka narrowed her eyes at Tasuki. Her look was deadpan.  
  
"Who is this two ton elephant, Tasuki?" she asked in an icy tone.  
  
"Beats me, but I'm starved. What's there to eat Chiriko?"  
  
Chiriko got up and grabbed Mitsukake's pack. He began shuffling through the contents, coming out with nothing.  
  
"I can't seem to find anything in here. It's as if the food was eaten last night."  
  
Everyone's head distinctively turned towards Miaka's burning face, their eyebrows raised in question.  
  
"What are you looking at?!" Miaka shouted with embarrassment.  
  
"Well...Miaka-sama...you do tend to eat a lot no da," Chichiri said nervously, scratching his chin ever so slightly.  
  
Miaka's head turned furiously at Chichiri and everyone sat up straighter, fearing the worst from their angered miko.  
  
"I dare you to repeat yourself Chichiri!" Miaka shouted her red face turning scarlet in her fury and embarrassment.  
  
Tamahome laughed nervously, but stopped when he got a violent look from Miaka.  
  
"Hey. At least you're burning off the fat by walking," Tasuki said, trying his best to conjure up an innocent grin.  
  
"SHUT UP!!! I DID NOT EAT THE FOOD!!!"  
  
"Where did Nuriko go?" Mitsukake said quickly, trying his best to chance the subject.  
  
Miaka seemed to have cooled down as she looked around their campsite.  
  
Everyone sighed with relief, giving Mitsukake the, 'I owe you big time pal' look.  
  
"You're right Mitsukake!" Miaka cried, looking around worried. "Where's Nuriko?"  
  
Everyone's head looked around.  
  
Nuriko wasn't with them.  
  
Chiriko's eyes caught a glimpse of a piece of rumpled paper firmly stamped onto a tree with a pin.  
  
"Look! There's a note!" He said, getting up and walking towards it.  
  
Everyone followed him eagerly, watching as he ripped the paper from its spot on the tree. Chiriko studied the paper before reading it to the others:  
  
Don't follow me.  
  
-Nuriko  
  
Chiriko quirked up an eyebrow as Chichiri took the note from his hands.  
  
"Why would Nuriko write such a thing?" he asked, looking around at the others as if they had the answer.  
  
"Maybe he found something," Tasuki suggested, shrugging.  
  
"No. Nuriko would tell us first hand," Tamahome said, eyeing the note at the corner of his eye. "He wouldn't give us some crappy note like this."  
  
"Was he...in a hurry?" Mitsukake wondered out loud, looking up at the sky absentmindedly.  
  
The others looked up too, but no answer could form from the cloudless day.  
  
Tasuki grabbed his pack wearily and hitched up on their last remaining horse. The other two had ran in fright when Tasuki had used his fan on a raging ox.  
  
"Come on, Nuriko knows what he's doing. He'll catch up to us," Tasuki said, motioning Miaka to hop on.  
  
Miaka hesitated before climbing on with Tasuki.  
  
The others reluctantly grabbed their packs and headed off to a wider path Nuriko had gone to.  
  
::::::::::::::::::::::::  
  
Yui looked at her hot tea with no interest.  
  
She crossed her arms and legs and shifted in her seat.  
  
"Nakago," she called, sounding quite pissed.  
  
Nakago entered her room and kneeled before his miko, bowing his head in respect.  
  
"Yes my lady?" he asked, in his usual coaxing voice.  
  
"How's the girl?" Yui asked, looking down at him, her look still menacing.  
  
"Fine. Fortunately, from what Chien tells us, she is not a miko."  
  
Yui raised her eyebrows in question.  
  
"I've been meaning to ask you something."  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"About the girl...was it really necessary to kidnap her?"  
  
"Yes my lady. She could have been a potential miko."  
  
"But she's not. Why are we still keeping her?"  
  
"Even if she is not a miko, we can not take the chance. The Suzaku warriors seem very fond of her."  
  
"And?"  
  
"...We need to eliminate all their advantages."  
  
"Advantages?"  
  
"We need to eliminate all those who get in our way for our goal."  
  
"Goal eh...?'  
  
Nakago raised his head to look face to face with his miko.  
  
"You seem angered my lady. Is there something troubling you?" he asked calmly.  
  
Yui narrowed her eyes at him again.  
  
"Of course! Some idiot got the wrong guy!"  
  
Nakago couldn't help but smile.  
  
"That idiot would be Suboshi. Did you not want that boy?"  
  
"Of course not! I don't even know him!" Yui shouted, standing up from her seat. "I wanted Tamahome!"  
  
::::::::::::::::::::::::  
  
Aya opened her eyes half way.  
  
She didn't feel sore, but her body felt very heavy.  
  
Dark velvet curtains covered her bed, but it was transparent enough to see the silhouette of objects.  
  
Aya shifted into a sitting position, rubbing her eyes tiredly.  
  
'Where am I?' she thought to herself.  
  
She looked down at her bed. She had a rectangular shaped pillow, which was somewhat hard. There was embroidery nicely made on the silky front layer. Her blanket's top half felt silky while the bottom part was cotton and quite warm. It was the colour of light turquoise. Her mattress had a feel of silk. It wasn't soft, but it wasn't hard either.  
  
There was a wall to her left, front, and back. All coated with thick layers of paint and decorated with golden dragons and other sorts.  
  
Aya blinked.  
  
She felt like she was in a huge castle. Everything she saw looked expensive.  
  
If it weren't for her common sense, she would have thought she was in an Ancient Chinese palace.  
  
:::Aya:::  
  
'Yeah?'  
  
:::Someone's coming:::  
  
But before Aya could reply to Ceres, she heard footsteps coming towards her. Aya stared at her curtain, fearing the worst when a shadow of a body appeared from a door. The person stood still for a few seconds before heading towards her bed.  
  
Aya stood dead still, eyes wide with fright.  
  
The person stood in front of her bed, looking as if they were staring down at her before reaching to move the curtain.  
  
Aya closed her eyes tightly as the curtain was removed.  
  
She opened her mouth to let out a scream, but a hand covered it.  
  
Aya fruitlessly struggled to get away from the person. The person released their hand from her mouth and wrapped their arms around her.  
  
Aya opened her eyes, lips parted slightly in shock.  
  
She didn't scream.  
  
The boy felt warm as he hugged her. It made her feel safe.  
  
Tears rolled down her cheeks. She began sobbing as she hugged him back tightly.  
  
He was finally here. He was going to protect her.  
  
They stayed like that for what seemed like hours.  
  
Finally, when Aya wasn't crying, the boy spoke.  
  
"Gomen," he said in a gentle and coaxing voice.  
  
"Hm? Gomen? What are you talking about?" she said quietly, trying to smile.  
  
"You were mad at me."  
  
"Hm? Since when was I...?"  
  
The boy released her.  
  
Aya's eyes once again widened as she looked at him, lips parted. She was speechless. Her face fell slightly in disappointment once she collected herself.  
  
The boy was not Tamahome.  
  
Aya frowned at Nuriko.  
  
"Nani?" Nuriko said, raising his eyebrows at her in question. "You seem disappointed."  
  
"Of course!" Aya hissed, turning to face the wall and not at him. She crisscrossed her legs and crossed her arms sternly. "You're not Tamahome!"  
  
Nuriko felt stunned at her answer, but let out a quiet laugh.  
  
"Sorry to rain on your parade."  
  
"Hmph."  
  
He let out a huge sigh and dug his fingers into his thick purple hair.  
  
"Nani? I already said I'm sorry! What more can I say?" he asked, looking at her desperately.  
  
Aya felt stubborn and rebellious at the moment.  
  
"Many things Nuriko. Many things."  
  
Nuriko didn't answer her, which made Aya feel triumphing.  
  
Two arms wrapped around her once again. Nuriko rested his chin on her shoulder, which made Aya blush furiously.  
  
"You know...Tamahome's already got himself a girl," Nuriko said quietly, looking at Aya from the corner of his eyes.  
  
Aya looked away from Nuriko.  
  
"Y-you mean t-that girl? Miaka?" she stammered, trying her best to stay calm.  
  
No guy had ever hugged her like this before. It felt weird, but made her feel special all the same.  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"N-Nuriko? Na-nani? What are y-you doing?" she said, trying to break free from his grasp.  
  
Nuriko had a firm hold on her.  
  
He closed his eyes and smiled the kind of smile a girl would faint to see.  
  
Aya's cheeks flamed at this point. Aki would kill her if she ever told him about this.  
  
After a few minutes of wiggling around, Aya finally gave up the thought of breaking free and rested her head on his.  
  
She relaxed a little, but before she could drift off to sleep, Nuriko spoke softly in her ear. His warm breath made Aya prickle all over.  
  
"You remind me Kourin..."  
  
Aya looked at him curiously.  
  
"Who's Kourin? Your girlfriend?"  
  
"My younger sister..."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"We looked exactly alike. People thought we were twins."  
  
"Really? I have a twin brother!"  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"His name is Aki. "  
  
"That's nice..."  
  
"Ah...where's your sister? I don't think I've seen her yet."  
  
"Kourin died...from a wild horse accident."  
  
Aya fell silent. Nuriko's voice sounded quite depressed on those last few words.  
  
"I-I'm sorry..."  
  
Nuriko tried to smile at Aya.  
  
"It's okay. You didn't know."  
  
Aya would have never guessed Nuriko had a sister. More or less know that they looked alike. That was probably why he looked so much like a girl or from what she heard from Miaka, use to dress up like one.  
  
Nuriko leaned to his left and the two both fell onto the bed.  
  
Aya looked panicky at Nuriko.  
  
"Nur-Nuriko! Wh-What are you doing?" she asked.  
  
But Nuriko was already fast asleep, his arms still tightly hugging Aya.  
  
Aya didn't bother struggling to break free from his grasp. She just nestled her head against his chest.  
  
Falling asleep into someone's arms...she had never had that feeling before. And after having a taste of it, she liked it.  
  
*****  
  
Althe is right now sitting on a lawn chair, trying to get a suntan in the middle of winter.  
  
Althe: La la la...  
  
Ami: What in god's name are you doing?  
  
ME: Aki, it's the middle of winter.  
  
Althe: La la la...  
  
Ami clasps her hands onto her ears: Eh! What are you singing?!  
  
Althe: La la la...  
  
ME: ...I don't think she can hear you Ami  
  
Althe: Of course I can!  
  
ME: Then why aren't you speaking to us?!  
  
Althe: Because I'm singing!  
  
Ami: Singing what?! And I thought you were depressed!  
  
Althe: Meh. I'm a moody person  
  
Ami: ...  
  
ME: So you're feeling better?  
  
Althe: Sure!  
  
ME: But you just lost Nuriko to Aya  
  
Althe: Nah! I'll kill her in the end  
  
ME with a sweat drop: And why were you crying about Nuriko dying?  
  
Althe dully: Oh that. I was just thinking about epi 34 when Nuriko dies  
  
ME: ..  
  
Althe: Hey. I'm a healthy girl  
  
Ami: Right. Well, don't forget to REVIEW my idiotic sister  
  
Althe: Yep!  
  
ME: Ja ne!  
  
REVEW!!! SEE THAT BUTTON? IT'S MEANT FOR SOMETHING!!! REVIEWING!!! 


	11. And Then There Was Fire

Althe: I updated!!! ......eh? Aren't you going to, like, give me a congrats or something?.......checks the calendar.......  
  
Ah, well.......I never meant to keep you all waiting........Okay........um.........it's not like I meant to stop or anything.......right?  
  
Oh, yeah. I made Aya pretty thick about the relationship between Miaka and Tamahome, but come on. She married at the age of sixteen! Dumped school for a man that was about to die........she wouldn't be as bright ya know? Sorry, to all those Aya fans out there, but I prefer Chidori way more than her But she's still a great gal.  
  
And haps birthday to Modern-Eponine who turned two thousand nine hundred thirty nine years old a few months ago!  
  
:::Cross Hearts:::  
  
12. And then there was Fire

Miaka looked up at the never-ending hills in front of her. She knew that beyond those hills was her key to heading back home, but it seemed unlikely that they will ever reach them.  
  
Tasuki was whistling a tuneless melody up in front, his hands locked behind his head and his foot kicking at nearby pebbles.  
  
Miaka watched him kick at the small stones absentmindedly from her horse.  
  
The sun was up, but didn't make the scenery happier considering the fact that the weather was a tad too hot for their liking without a cloud in sight to cover their sweat-drenched bodies.  
  
Tamahome wiped his brow with his right hand while the other held onto the rein. He looked at Miaka for a brief second before turning his eyes back on the dirt road. The sides of the road were steep so he had to be careful not to get off course.  
  
The day dragged on like that for hours.  
  
Pretty soon, Tamahome was dozing off, but snapped out of his fatigue when the horse tripped onto a fairly large rock in the ground.  
  
The horse stood on its hind legs, screaming in confusion and fright.  
  
Tamahome was lucky not to have fallen because his hands were still tightly holding onto the reins.  
  
Miaka wasn't as lucky I'm afraid.  
  
She toppled off the side of the horse and fell hard on her ass, probably scarring it for life considering the ground was covered by small sharp- ended rocks. ( I'm so evil)  
  
Believe me, rubbing the 'cheeks' won't make the red marks go away.  
  
Plus the fact that dear Miaka was wearing an extremely mini skirt (which got ripped in the process), our dear miko was then reduced to flashing her 'red' undies to our laughing senshi (boys, if you don't get what I mean by 'red undies' ask a girl.............it's not from a bleeding butt by the way).  
  
(Wrote that last paragraph for fun cause I felt evil. If you feel offended by it, gomen, but.......I'm sugar high right now and thought you'd like a laugh)  
  
::::::::::::  
  
Aya rolled over to her side.  
  
She felt so tired, yet so refreshed at the same time.  
  
After a few minutes of suffocating herself by putting her face in the pillow, Aya turned her head to open one of her eyes half way.  
  
Hmmm.......she never knew she had curtains in her bed before.......and her sheets......were they always this silky?  
  
Aya bolted right up.  
  
She this wasn't her bedroom.  
  
Then she remembered. She was still in Ceres's crazy world.  
  
Aya looked around the bed.  
  
Strange.......she could have sworn Nuriko was with her last night.......but she shook her head and concluded it to be a mere illusion she hallucinated.  
  
It had to be. What kind of man would walk into your bed and sleep with you without your consent?  
  
Besides, he looked too gay to be interested in her.  
  
She pushed the semi see through curtain aside and swung her feet onto the cold tile floor.  
  
She stood up and yawned and stretched for a few seconds before taking in the scenery in front of her.  
  
The room was much bigger than what she was use to. It even had its own table with two little stools. It had so much space. It made her feel as if she were standing in an open field.  
  
The two fairly large windows were open and the cool wind drifted into the room, making the blue curtains wave.  
  
She walked toward the window closest to her and stuck her head out. She immediately put her hand on her hair to keep it from falling in front of her eyes. It was quite a windy day, but the sun shone beautifully.  
  
Her eyes went wide for a few seconds. She was inside a palace! There was a huge Chinese garden below her and the corridors to her sides were long and led to many directions.  
  
Her high-class surroundings made her feel so small and timid.  
  
Aya backed away from the window and turned to look once more at her new surroundings.  
  
She found a door to her far left in the upper corner, probably leading outside into a hallway. She walked towards the framed door and turned the knob. Slowly, Aya peaked out into the long hall. The coast was clear.  
  
Aya stepped out and admired the dressed up hall with great envy. The floor was tiled and the walls were beautifully painted in a colour between peach and pink. It had a perfect summer look to it.  
  
Aya began to walk mindlessly down one direction of the hallway, looking around frequently.  
  
The tiles were cold on her bare feet, but she ignored it and kept on walking. The silk gown she was also wearing was too thin for a windy day and she shivered in the breeze.  
  
She passed by a framed window and awed in silence at the waterfall in the garden.  
  
There was no question about it. This place was huge.  
  
Aya kept her gaze at the waterfall for a few more minutes, then turned to go on down the hall. As she turned, she bumped into something massive that made her fall down to the ground in surprise.  
  
Aya shook her head to clear her head and started rubbing her aching butt, that cushioned her fall on the hard floor.  
  
She looked up to find herself staring up at two blue eyes, a lighter shade than her own.  
  
The man, who appeared to be wearing ancient armour of a soldier's, narrowed his eyes at her.  
  
When he spoke, his words cut through the air like glass.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
::::::::::::  
  
Chichiri yawned with his arms high up in the air.  
  
If heat wasn't killing him, then boredom was.  
  
He could see pretty pink butterflies dancing in front of him, under a tall pine tree. Pretty Pink went well with Purple........  
  
Chichiri shook his head at an alarming rate.  
  
He had to lay low from Nuriko for a while. Another lecture from him about bright colours and what matches well with them, he might start taking shopping trips.  
  
"Chichiri?"  
  
"Hm?" Chichiri said absentmindedly, not really caring who was calling out.  
  
"You okay? You look like the dead."  
  
Chichiri looked at Tasuki with his eyebrows raised.  
  
"Come again?"  
  
Tasuki sighed.  
  
"You're warping out again. Geez, you're even worse than Hotohori."  
  
Chichiri frowned at Tasuki.  
  
"It's just the heat no da. Everyone's like that right now."  
  
Miaka let out a scream at Chichiri's words.  
  
"I hate this heat wave! When's the next town?!"  
  
Chichiri shaded his eyes with his hand as he looked up at the clear blue sky.  
  
"Before sun set. It shouldn't take us any longer as long as we follow this road-"  
  
A rustle in the bushes interrupted Chichiri.  
  
The group stopped in their tracks and listened intently, wondering if it would be another ambush.  
  
Tasuki readied his fan, preparing the burn any living thing that pops out of a bush.  
  
There was more rustling to their right.  
  
Tasuki turned just in time to see a dark figure emerge from a small bush.  
  
He didn't care if it was a bird. It was going down.  
  
"REKKA SHIEN!!!"  
  
::::::::::::  
  
Nuriko walked briskly through the thick forest, with its branches and thorns scratching at his bare cheeks and ripping at his thin clothing. He waved away the low branches that threatened to scar his face.  
  
His escape was too easy.  
  
Luckily, he didn't have a death encounter with Nakago; just palace guards that couldn't resist a drag queen's charm.  
  
Nuriko looked behind his back anxiously and quickened his pace. The alarms would've sounded by now- probably hours ago.  
  
Nuriko had gone off the road to be safe with any encounters with anyone.  
  
He looked up ahead but only saw more trees with long thick branches.  
  
As he was about to let out an exasperated sigh, his head jerked back. Someone had a hold of his braid.  
  
In a panicked state, Nuriko quickly spun around and punched the lights out of whoever had a hold of his hair.  
  
Birds of various sizes started flying in all directions, blinding Nuriko with their dusty feathers and wings.  
  
Finally, after regaining sight, Nuriko looked up to find a splintered branch lying on the ground, and a good lock of his hair caught on it.  
  
He gave a huge sigh with relief, clasping his hand on his chest to ease his beating heart.  
  
It was only a branch.  
  
Nuriko noticed his braid had come undone and was now left with huge tangles.  
  
He let his lady like fingers comb at his long silky hair. He liked the feel of it and ended up spending a lot of time combing it into perfect order.  
  
His hair was too long and vulnerable for a forest this big with its awaiting branches ready to snatch at it.  
  
Nuriko quickly searched for his hair tie.  
  
In a rough manner, he tied up his hair in a bun on one side.  
  
The bun was huge and unstable, jumping around every time he took a step, but it would have to do for the time being. He had no time to spare to do his hair in the middle of a forest.  
  
His pace once again quickened, looking back every now and then to see if he was being followed.  
  
Finally, after what seemed like hours, yet was only minutes, Nuriko heard voices. Familiar voices.  
  
It was Chichiri and Miaka's voice!  
  
Nuriko jolted towards a blinding light, knowing that he was close to the dirt road. In his clumsiness, he stepped onto a bush, getting his foot caught in its thorns and branches. It also made an awfully loud sound, causing silence from the talking senshi and their miko.  
  
'Shit,' Nuriko thought to himself.  
  
They probably thought he was a spy or something.  
  
And if Nuriko knew Tasuki well, which he did, he'd burn Nuriko to a crisp if Nuriko didn't approach them in the right way.  
  
Nuriko quietly slipped his foot out of the bush and crept slowly towards the group. He heard feet turning towards his direction as he moved some leaves away from his eyes.  
  
Oh great.  
  
Jumping out of a bush in front of anyone of them was like having them tie you down to a tree and shout, "Ready, aim, fire!"  
  
Other than that small problem, getting them to know that he was Nuriko and not a spy was going to be as easy as taking a candy from a baby........as long as that baby was drugged with heroin that is.  
  
Lost in his train of though, Nuriko tripped on a root on the ground, causing him to stumble out of his hiding place and into the shade of the tree where everyone could see him.  
  
Before Nuriko could speak, he heard the loud scream of Tasuki's voice.  
  
And then there was fire.

Althe: No. Nuriko didn't die.:::Cross Hearts:::  
  
Still Chapter 12. Escape

-"Aya kept her gaze at the waterfall for a few more minutes, then turned to go on down the hall. As she turned, she bumped into something massive that made her fall down to the ground in surprise.  
  
Aya shook her head to clear her head and started rubbing her aching butt, that cushioned her fall on the hard floor.  
  
She looked up to find herself staring up at two blue eyes, a lighter shade than her own.  
  
The man, who appeared to be wearing ancient armour of a soldier's, narrowed his eyes at her.  
  
When he spoke, his words cut through the air like glass.  
  
"What are you doing here?" "-  
  
Aya stood mesmerized by Nakago's clear blue eyes that shone like glass. His pupils looked like an endless pit, engulfing Aya from her senses.  
  
"I will only repeat myself one more time. What are you doing here?"  
  
"What?" Aya said thickly, snapping back to reality with his stern words.  
  
One look at Nakago's expression could send any child running the other way.  
  
"I- I'm just looking around," Aya stumbled, taking her gaze away from Nakago and on the painted wall.  
  
"You're not permitted to go anywhere."  
  
"Wh-what?"  
  
"Go back to your room. Now. I don't have time to baby-sit such crap."  
  
Aya turned angrily at him, hitching her chin high to make herself seem taller than usual.  
  
"Crap? Excuse me?"  
  
"Go back to your room before I force you in there."  
  
"Is this how you treat all the people you meet? Who the hell do you-"  
  
It came so fast that Aya couldn't feel the blow for a full ten seconds.  
  
She slammed onto the wall and slid to the floor, shock over coming her body. Her mouth was open at a strange angle and bits of saliva were at the corners of her mouth.  
  
Then it came.  
  
Pain and a terrible stinging sensation filled her right cheek and jaw. She could barely feel her mouth from the numbness let alone move it.  
  
After a long while of silence, Aya slowly touched her cheek with her fingertips, but quickly drew back from the pain.  
  
She was too dumbstruck to even cry.  
  
Nakago turned away from Aya, but looked back at her before leaving.  
  
"I hope this teaches you to never disrespect me." Adrenaline must have been kicking in because before Aya could even think, she was up on her feet.  
  
"'at hurt."  
  
That was the last sentence Aya said before running up to Nakago and giving him a good bitch slap right on his cheek.  
  
Nakago was too stunned to even block Aya's slap.  
  
Of course, it didn't hurt- not as bad as Aya's at least- but the thought of having a women to him was far too great for Nakago's comfort.  
  
His eyes narrowed and before he could stop himself, he grabbed his sword and quickly slid it out of its sheath.  
  
Aya's eyes widened in surprise at the blade coming towards her.  
  
But as soon as it came, it suddenly disappeared.  
  
When Aya came back to her senses, she was on her feet, staring at Nakago lying on the floor, unconscious and bleeding with a rather nasty gash cutting through his thick armour, baring his wounded chest.  
  
As Aya started to collect back her thoughts, she realized she had his sword clutched tightly in her right hand.  
  
The long blade was covered in blood. The sticky substance was dripping down to the ground and also stained her shaking hand and clothing.  
  
Aya quickly dropped the sword.  
  
What had happened?  
  
She already knew the answer, but didn't think that someone could posses such power to knock out a full grown man with a weapon to the last inch of his life.  
  
Voices and quick footsteps could be heard from down the hallway.  
  
Aya looked around nervously before running the other direction of the voices.  
  
If she were caught, she'd probably be as dead as cold turkey.  
  
::::::::::::  
  
If Nuriko hadn't blocked his face and tied his hair into a bun, he'd probably be bald for the rest of his teenage life.  
  
Nuriko slowly looked up from the dusty ground coughing at the smoke and flinching in pain from the noticeable burns he now had on his arms and hands.  
  
By some miracle (done by me of course) not a hair on him- not even his eyebrows- were burned to ash or scorched. Alas, his sleeves did not get the same treatment.  
  
The thin material was burned to a crisp, unless from the very beginning to protect his porcelain skin.  
  
He roughly ripped his sleeves from shoulder to wrist and tossed it aside and got up gingerly.  
  
After dusting himself lightly, as to not harm his hands any further, he looked up and glared at Tasuki with such great force that he dropped his fan.  
  
"Geez, Nuriko! Where the hell were you?!" Tasuki shouted, not bothering to pick up his fan.  
  
"You could've barbequed me you fanged idiot!" Nuriko screamed, shoving his red hands in front of his face.  
  
"You scared the hell out of us! What did you expect me to do? Jump in there to see if it was my cousin or something?!"  
  
"You could've killed me!"  
  
"You should have been smart enough not to come out so suddenly!"  
  
"I tripped on a root!"  
  
"Then it's not my probl-"  
  
"There's no need to argue," Hotohori said quickly, sensing a fight coming between the two.  
  
Nuriko crossed his arms, pouting. Tasuki snorted at Hotohori, but picked up his fan and said nothing else.  
  
Hotohori turned to Nuriko, a worried expression plastered on his face.  
  
"Where have you been Nuriko? We thought you were captured by the Seiyuu."  
  
"I was," Nuriko replied, looking awkwardly at all the surprised faces.  
  
"Were you able to find Aya?" Chiriko asked anxiously.  
  
"Yeah," Nuriko said quietly, looking up at the sky for a second before looking back at them.  
  
"Then where is she?" Tamahome said, with a raised eyebrow, taking a quick glance at the trees.  
  
"Still being held by the Seiyuu."  
  
"You didn't bother to rescue her?!" Tasuki screamed, shaking a fist at him.  
  
Nuriko shrugged, "There was no way I could get us both out of the castle without being noticed. The Seiyuu seemed to have cared less for me than with her."  
  
Miaka gave Nuriko a disapproving look.  
  
"But that isn't like you Nuriko. You always help others."  
  
Nuriko looked at Aya with no changed expression.  
  
"Aya can handle things on her own. She'll be fine."  
  
"But.......Nuriko-kun.......She just came from the modern world and you know Nakago. He'll have her killed."  
  
Nuriko stood staring at Chichiri for a long time.  
  
He hadn't really thought of that.  
  
The real reason why he had left Aya behind because he didn't want her to get the wrong idea when she woke up and found him beside her in bed.  
  
He mentally slapped his head. He was being self-centred. He was thinking like a guy (no offence), which was not like him at all.  
  
"She can handle things on her own," Nuriko repeated, keeping up with his calm expression.  
  
Miaka's frown deepened.  
  
"But Nuriko! Aya just came here! She doesn't know where she's going! How'd you expect her to reach us?"  
  
Nuriko started walking, ignoring several pairs of eyes staring at his back.  
  
"If we're going to reach the next town by sunset, we'd better start walking," he said softly to the others.  
  
The group gave each other unease looks at each other before following Nuriko down the dirty path.  
  
Tasuki however, didn't walk with them. He just stood there with a critical expression smeared on his face.  
  
When he realized the group didn't notice him not with them, he turned into the woods and began walking towards Seiyuu territory.  
  
::::::::::::  
  
Suboshi walked down a corridor, whistling a tuneless melody to himself.  
  
Three soldiers walked past him nosily, turning right in a different direction, towards the prison.  
  
His put his arms behind his head and continued his whistling before turning the opposite direction of the soldiers.  
  
He stopped his whistling suddenly when he saw someone lying motionlessly near the end of the corridor.  
  
He dropped his arms and quickened his pace.  
  
There lying as dead as a corpse was Nakago, covered in blood and a beauty of a gash cutting into his perfectly good abs.  
  
Suboshi couldn't help but give Nakago a good kick in the ribs to test if he was still walking the earth.  
  
Nakago coughed loudly, spitting out blood in the process.  
  
Suboshi wanted to do a tap dance and sing.  
  
Smiling was all he could do to keep himself from laughing out loud.  
  
Nakago wasn't dead, but close enough to give him happiness.  
  
He could either leave him here to die, or call for help.  
  
Hard decision.  
  
Suboshi smiled down and Nakago before turning away from him and continuing his walk in a more merry fashion.  
  
::::::::::::  
  
"Nakago!"  
  
Nakago twitched his eye, irritated by the voice calling out his name continuously.  
  
His head felt as if someone had swung a mental mallet to his side. His body stung and felt extremely exhausted. He felt like crap.  
  
"Nakago!" the voice repeated, even louder this time.  
  
"What?" Nakago snapped in a cracked voice, opening his eyes slowly to blinding candlelight.  
  
He didn't bother wiping his eyes from drowsiness, as he recognized the voice as Yui's.  
  
"Nakago, what happened to you?" Yui shrieked, her eyes stinging with tears.  
  
Nakago noticed a new change in the scenery.  
  
He was in his room, and in his bed half naked with bandages covering his navel.  
  
"I don't know.......One minute I was with that girl, the next.......," Nakago placed his hand over his forehead, feeling the burn of a high temperature.  
  
"I-I just found you there on the floor.......," Yui said in a shaking voice.  
  
Nakago didn't say anything.  
  
He remembered pulling out his sword towards Aya, but then the rest was so strange, he had doubts if it actually happened or it was just a figment of his imagination.  
  
He remembered a purple haired girl grabbing his sword and slashing him, but it happened so quickly he didn't have time to react.  
  
It had to be a dream. Aya's hair was blond and didn't look much like a fighter; but how could that explain what happened to him?  
  
Nothing made sense at the moment.  
  
"Where's the girl?" Nakago said, shifting his eyes towards Yui.  
  
"Who? You mean the one that monk brought in?" Yui said, with a raised eyebrow. "I don't know."  
  
"Bring her here," Nakago said, already knowing she wasn't in the palace anymore.  
  
Yui gave him a quizzical look, but nodded, waving her hand towards a nearby servant.  
  
"Bring the girl here," Yui commanded.  
  
The servant nodded and quickly removed himself out of the room.  
  
Yui looked back at Nakago before asking, "Why do you need to see her?"  
  
Nakago didn't answer her. He needed answers for questions he didn't even know.  
  
The two were silent while they waited for the servant to return with Aya.  
  
When the servant finally reappeared once more into the room, he looked aghast, gasping for air.  
  
"The girl doesn't seem to be in her room! The prisoner Nuriko also seems to be missing too my lady!" He added hastily, bowing down at Yui.  
  
Nakago snorted.  
  
Escaping without him noticing. He was rusting faster than he expected.  
  
"Let them go," Nakago finally said. "They are of no use."  
  
Nakago closed his eyes and continued on with his sleeping, not seeming to care with Yui staring at him with a strange look.

Althe: Yeah. Decided to split the chapter a bit   
  
I decided to give due dates for my chapters now since I'll only get lazier once summer break starts.  
  
Check my bio to see when the next chapter of 'Cross Hearts' will show!  
  
My guess for now is probably June 25, Friday  
  
Ja ne! 


	12. Tasuki to the Rescue

Althe: I do have writer's block........It's just that your good reviews inspired me XD

Yeah. A lot of the characters are probably OOC and I've probably gotten the anime storyline all wrong, but hey. I haven't seen Fushigi Yuugi or Ayashi No Ceres for a year.

Sorry for those mistakes. Hope you don't mind so much... And please, do go on with correcting my noticeable mistakes.

Hey, I just noticed something.

It's been a year since I published this Now to end it soon! Bwahahahahaha.

:::Cross Hearts:::

13. Tasuki to the Rescue

OOOOO

-" Nakago didn't answer her. He needed answers for questions he didn't even know.  
  
The two were silent while they waited for the servant to return with Aya.  
  
When the servant finally reappeared once more into the room, he looked aghast, gasping for air.  
  
"The girl doesn't seem to be in her room! The prisoner Nuriko also seems to be missing too my lady!" He added hastily, bowing down at Yui.  
  
Nakago snorted.  
  
Escaping without him noticing. He was rusting faster than he expected.  
  
"Let them go," Nakago finally said. "They are of no use."  
  
Nakago closed his eyes and continued on with his sleeping, not seeming to care with Yui staring at him with a strange look. "-

Aya shivered as a cold wind blew at her back.

The palace was like a maze. Scary enough, wherever she went, she saw no one. Not a sound drifted to her ears either.

The blood covering her hands was starting to stick and dry, making her feel extremely uncomfortable. The smell of strong iron didn't compliment her looks either.

I'm hopelessly lost! Aya thought to herself, stifling a panicky scream from spilling out of her mouth.

Aya wanted more than anything to scream and cry. She felt sick, hungry, and was stained with a dead man's blood. She also smelled like metal and was in what use to be her best clothing, now reduced to tatters.

"I want to go home," Aya moaned, wandering miserably down the never-ending corridors. "I want to eat ramen. I want to see Aki. I want to see my parents. I want to take a bath."

Complaining to herself in a deserted place didn't exactly make her feel better, but it helped Aya forget about her hunger.

Aya walked aimlessly for what felt like hours, days perhaps. What she came up with was more plain walls. For a few moments, she even worried if she was walking in circles.

The hall she was walking finally lead to a stairway leading downstairs. It had an odd feeling to it, but Aya looked more than grateful to find something other than a wall.

It could lead to hell for all she cared. It was better than peachy walls that robbed men of their minds.

The walk downstairs was merry. A faint foul scent floated around her, but she ignored it. Then, it came.

The stench hit her full blast. Aya hacked and coughed, plugging her nose in disgust.

It smells worst than Aki's used socks, Aya thought to herself, tears forming around her eyes from the odour.

Aya started fanning the area around her with her hand as she swallowed down a lump that formed in her throat.

Once Aya recovered from the smell, she looked around to find small damp rusted cells lining the walls in front of her all the way down the hall. Dim torches lit the way and as Aya looked more closely, some of the cells looked occupied. Metal hooks were placed on the wall behind her. Hand cuffs, shackles, chains, and leather whips hung from them, sending a shiver up Aya's spine.

It didn't take a genius to know where she was.

Aya could hear screaming from down the hall to her left. There was also laughter mixed in with the cries of pain and agony. After the laughter was the sharp sound of something being whipped on flesh and then the sound of a heavy object being dunked in liquid.

If Aya were any stupider, she'd walk right in there and ask the nice gentlemen for directions out of the palace.

Instead, she walked the other direction, trying her best to ignore the stares she got from miserable prisoners.

The hall led to a dead end.

Great.

Aya let out a defeated sigh. Back to never ending hallways.

She turned around and started retracing her steps when a parched voiced called out to her from the very last cell.

"What?" Aya asked, blinking in the dim light in confusion.

"The seventeenth stone leads out," the man repeated in a voice that sounded as if it hadn't been used in years.

"The seventeenth stone?" Aya said slowly, looking back at the dead end wall. "What?"

"It leads out of the castle."

"What seventeenth stone?" Aya asked, quietly, wincing at the sound of more tormented screams from behind her.

"The wall you're staring at. It leads out."

"Why are you telling me this?" Aya asked the mysterious man.

"Hurry up and go before the guards catch you."

Aya nodded dumbly even though she was sure he couldn't see her. She rushed towards the stone wall and stared at it thoughtfully.

Aya asked the man, "Do I start counting from the top?"

There was no answer.

Either the man had fallen asleep or her didn't feel like answering.

The wall was impossible to count. It was different from its other surrounding walls. Unlike the others, most of the stones were as small as pebbles. Another jolly problem to add onto Aya's burdens was that the stones were scattered all over the place. The seventeenth stone could be anywhere.

"Lady, just press anything," a different man said gruffly.

Aya did as the man said, jabbing at the pebble like stones with her fingers. Some moved an inch, but nothing happened. At other times, the stones fell out of their place, leaving noticeable dents on the wall.

The wall was as strong as cardboard, built in the crappiest way possible.

If Aya had a sledgehammer, she could tear it town like paper.

This could go on for hours. _Many_ hours.

Aya began pounding hard on the wall, adding some kicks every now and then. The wall shook, sending dust down on Aya's head and shoulders. She coughed loudly, covering her head with her hands for protection.

The wall suddenly caved in, sending debris everywhere. Jagged stones scrapped at Aya's delicate legs and arms.

Once the dust had cleared, Aya slowly lifted her head up to see the damage. The two cells beside the now deceased wall were covered with debris and dust. Some of the bars had bent badly, leaving a huge gap in odd places. The floor was covered in gravel, scraps of metal, wood, and rocks of every kind, covering up Aya's ankles. It looked worse than a dumpster than had exploded from dynamite.

The good thing was that beyond the wall was a tunnel leading supposedly out of the castle.

A trickle of blood fell onto Aya's hand. She realized it was her blood.

Her cheeks were badly scraped. Blood dripped down from them, making her look as if she was crying blood tears. Her hands were bruised and cut in various places, looking similar to her hands and legs. Her pants were torn to shreds, leaving her thighs to shoes bare with blood and dust. Her top was spared expect for the occasional cuts here and there.

Aya felt far too much terror to even feel the pain.

Men's boots hitting the cement floor and their strong deep voices could be heard from the other end of the hall.

It was the guards.

The two prisoners' from the damaged cells quickly squeezed out from the bent bars, laughing in delight.

"Thanks lady," a man said to her, flashing his yellow teeth in her direction.

The two took off like rats, disappearing in the tunnel's darkness.

Aya didn't move from where she stood, dazed from the whole incident.

The sharp voice from a guard snapped her back into reality.

"What the fuck happened here?!"

OOOOO

"Geez," Tasuki muttered in frustration, putting both his hands on his head as if it was about to fall off.

He looked up at the palace wall in despair. It stood higher than him by at least twenty feet. Not to mention the fact that it was made of stone.

Tasuki began walking around the palace grounds, clueless to how to get in.

How the hell did Nuriko escape?

Tasuki soon came to the entrance of the castle. The tall wooden gate stood before him, guarded with marching soldiers and lookout towers. He leaned his back to the wall and slowly brought out his fan. It was pointless to think that he could sneak into the castle quietly without having some guard recognize him.

A storage cart made it's way towards the gate, bringing in imported goods. There was a sound similar to a whistle and the gates moaned and creaked as it was heaved open from the inside.

_Now's my chance._

Tasuki ran towards the opening doors, many guards noticing his presence at the process. They called out to the lookouts and in turn the doors began to close. The soldiers took out their swords, looking prepared to slice Tasuki in two.

"Not so fast!" Tasuki roared, dodging the soldiers with great ease.

Tasuki jumped towards the small opening of the entrance, but before the doors closed he turned to face the outside guards once more, screaming at the top of his lungs while swishing his fan in their direction.

"REKKA SHIEN!!!"

OOOOO

The two prisoners from before worked their way down the hall, the torches from the walls barely giving them any light to what was beyond the other side. As they kept their quick pace, their eyes began to adjust and soon a forked road materialized before them.

"Man. If I remember, the left one leads to the palace halls," one of the prisoners said, looking to the right hall with uncertainty.

"How can you be so sure of this?" the other man questioned suspiciously, squinting his eyes at his prison mate.

"I heard it from a guard once," he replied dryly.

"But what if you're wrong? You'll get me lost here!"

"Then go your own way."

With that, the man disappeared into the right hall, leaving the other prisoner scuttling after him in fright.

"Hey! Wait up!" the other man called, rushing towards the other's side.

The rest of the walk was silent, except for their footsteps echoing back at them down the hall.

The lines of torches soon ended and they were left in darkness. Both the men took a torch from the wall and began their walk once more, listening carefully to hear if any guards were tailing after them from behind.

The torches soon died and the two were left in darkness again.

Without a word to each other, they continued their walk in silence and darkness. A white light could be seen at the end of the hall.

As the two approached the light, they realized it came from the stonewall that was torn to pieces. The hole was big enough for them to escape with ease. The hole lead to a thick forest, perfect for an undetected escape.

Fortune was smiling upon them today.

As they bellowed with laughter, a foreign looking young man with orange hair appeared from one of the forest trees, silencing them. The young man walked towards the castle walls to their right and started cursing, putting his hands on his head in frustration.

After a few more moments, we walked to the opposite direction to were the two prisoners were, making them sigh in relief.

The two looked at each other and couldn't stop grinning. They were free.

They both ran into the forest, disappearing from everyone's sight.

OOOOO

If Aya thought Nakago was bad, the feeling in her stomach was telling her this was even worse.

The guard, who had first spoken, grabbed Aya by the collar, making her cough and kick.

"Answer me bitch! What the fuck did you do here?!" he shouted, spraying globs of spit on her delicate face.

Aya didn't answer him, too busy trying to free herself from his iron grip. The man's veins pulsed with rage, lifting his other hand warningly at her direction.

"Answer me when I ask you a fucking question you retarded shit!" With that, the man swung his hand and slapped Aya hard on the cheek, jerking her head to the other side.

Aya turned to look at the man. Her cheek was starting to swell and her throat was parched with thirst. There was no choice. If she wanted to get out of here alive, Ceres was her only answer.

"Sorry," Aya said softly, looking down and closing her eyes.

And with that, they all died.

OOOOO

Killing the guards was too easy for Tasuki. Well, not technically killing them. Maybe the right words would be live barbeque.

Maids and servants were running everywhere, anywhere away from their new comer. Pretty soon, more guards came rushing at him, armed with bows and arrows, spears, and swords.

"What on earth happened here?!" one of the men roared, staring at the burnt corpses surrounding Tasuki.

"Careful General. That man is one of the member's of the Suzaku senshi," a man next to him said, looking fiercely at Tasuki.

"We've already sent someone for Master Nakago."

"Nakago?!" Tasuki couldn't help but scream. _Shit..._

"Yeah, Nakago! You're gonna regret killing my guards you little bastard!" The general called, shaking his fist angrily at him.

"I don't have any time for this!" Tasuki muttered to himself, pulling out his fan once more, "especially if Nakago's coming."

Tasuki positioned himself to face the guards, raising his fan dangerously at them.

"Get out of my way!" he yelled, swishing his fan at them.

Flames broke out from his fan, reaching the soldiers close enough to heat their skins. The soldiers backed away, all but the General.

"Don't be cowards men! Stand your ground!"

The group moved up towards Tasuki, causing him to step back.

"Don't say I didn't warn you...REKKA SHIEN!!!"

The first row of soldiers was blasted away by hot flesh eating flames. This caused an uproar for the remaining soldiers. Tasuki casually walked towards the palace, blasting anyone who got in his way with his fan.

"How troublesome-...," Tasuki began to say, but stopped dead in his tracks when he caught site of Nakago in a silk robe standing in front of the palace doors. His sword was held firming in his right hand and he looked down at Tasuki with his same icy eyes.

"What do you want?" He asked tiredly, making Tasuki snort in disgust.

"Don't play dumb with me Nakago. Where's Aya?"

"Aya? What are you talking about? She should be with you by now."

Tasuki raised his eyebrow at Nakago, showing his clueless ness.

"Nuriko escaped, but left Aya behind, now where is she?!"

Nakago gave a questioning look to Tasuki before allowing his lips to curl into a sly smile.

"Ah. That would explain the murdered guards," Nakago said out loud, his smile only widening.

"What are you talking about?" Tasuki barked, with hints of irritation.

"It seems that your fair lady has killed all my prison guards while breaking my dudgeon walls."

"What?"

"What I mean to say is," Nakago explained, his smile suddenly turning into a disgusted frown, "Aya appears to have escaped without your heroism needed, fang boy. You have killed my soldiers, storage cart, and lookouts for nothing."

Tasuki stared at Nakago in surprised silence. Nakago looked right back at him. He closed his eyes in annoyance and turned around, walking away from Tasuki.

Tasuki didn't say anything. He was just too grateful he didn't have to face Nakago in a battle. He wasn't prepared and most of all, he knew he'd get his ass kicked.

He looked around at the remaining soldiers, then started walking back to the charred gates. Tasuki slowly walked back to where he was, only now noticing the huge hole in the castle walls.

Was Aya near by?

Tasuki ran down the slope towards the forest and started running.

OOOOO

When Aya came to, she realized she was in the arms of someone.

She jumped in shock, causing the person to fall to the ground.

"Ah! You're awake!" Tamahome said cheerfully, helping Aya up from the ground.

"Ta-Tamahome?" Aya sputtered, blinking in disbelief.

"Hey," Tamahome whispered, ruffling her hair with his hand.

"How did I...? When did you...?" Aya was at a loss of words, trying her best to take in everything around her.

Tall thick tress and thorn bushes surrounded her. She could not see any buildings in any direction. How far had Tamahome carried her?

Tamahome chuckled at Aya's confused look.

"I found you on the forest floor, a little way away from the palace grounds. You were unconscious and I had a feeling from the looks of you that the guards were after you. I was heading back to the others before you woke up...which reminds me. What happened to Tasuki? Did you get separated from him?"

"Tasuki...?" Aya blinked. "Who's he?"

"Hm? Remember that fanged idiot with orange hair? You mean you didn't see him?! Then where is that idiot?"

"I remember him...but I didn't see him."

"Ah, man," Tamahome muttered, running his hand through his thick hair in frustration. "That idiot..."

"Is something the matter?" Aya asked in concern, looking at Tamahome's troubled face.

"What? Oh, it's nothing. First, let's just get back to the others...Can you walk?"

Aya nodded awkwardly. Her legs felt stiff, but she could manage. Tamahome gave her a reassuring smile before holding onto her hand tightly. Aya felt her cheeks burn.

"So we don't get lost..." he said softly, leading the way around the branches and vines.

Aya nodded again, not too sure what to do.

The walk was unusually comfortable and silent. The birds chirped joyfully as they brushed past them.

"Um...Ta...mahome...Is Nuriko with the others?" She asked shyly, looking down at her feet as if she was talking to them.

"Hm? Yeah. Why?"

"Oh...nothing...I was just wondering..."

The two fell silent again, Tamahome concentrating on the way back to the other senshi and Aya keeping busy looking at her feet.

Was it all a dream? Did she dream of Nuriko on her bed...? Yes. It had to be...but it would have been nice if it were Tamahome instead of a gay looking boy like him.

Low branches scraped at her open leg wounds, causing Aya to bite down on her lip. She could taste the all too familiar salty iron in her mouth. Aya stopped biting her lip and winced at the sting she felt from her newest addition of cuts.

Tamahome looked back at Aya and stared at her bare legs.

"You okay?"

"Y-yeah...I'm fine."

"Are you sure? It looks as if you bled a lot. Jeez, what happened back there? Were you attacked?" Tamahome asked curiously, taking note of her blood stained hands and clothes.

"Oh, these...? They're not my blood."

"Not your...? Then were you near a fight?"

"Ah...no. This man, a soldier, attacked me..."

"And someone saved you," Tamahome finished for her, turning his head back to the path ahead.

"No-...I ran away," Aya quickly said. It would be hard trying to explain Ceres to Tamahome.

"I see," Tamahome muttered in a doubtful voice, shifting his eyes back at Aya's injuries.

The conversation died down once again, and they were silent for the rest of the trip.

OOOOO

Tasuki passed tree after tree after tree, obviously lost after he realized he kept passing the same boulder over and over again.

He was going to die the worst death. He could just imagine the gossip going around person from person.

"Fanged idiot dies after walking in circles for thirty days"

After another hour of walking in the same direction, Tasuki took a new path, taking up another hour. Finally, he saw light up ahead.

He felt like dancing with joy, leaping with happiness. He was finally out of the miserable forest and back with the others.

Tasuki started running, finally emerging out of the tall trees to find the palace walls once more.

He had spent two full hours walking aimlessly around to come back to where he came from.

If Tasuki wasn't so speechless from rage, he'd probably have screamed and burnt down the whole forest.

OOOOO

Althe: Ain't it a great chapter? Well, almost done with this fic..happy y'all?

RR!

Ja ne!


	13. Trouble in the Forest

Althe: Sorry for not updating earlier. Had no muses for fanfiction, eheh… I need some information about episodes 30-34. Can anyone help me? Need summaries on them to finish this fanfic. Many thanks : )

-Edit-

My God, you people scare me with your reviews.

I didn't update for two years and I still get reviews asking for 'more'. I had seriously lost all faith in this failed attempt of a decent story. I mean, it's typical, it's predictable, and stupid…well, maybe not all that predictable, but I'm surprised my old writing style would still appeal to some of you. It's awfully bad and screams the words 'crap' every time I muster up the courage to even look back at my work.

…I never look back at my work. I hate doing that. I only look forward in writing…anyways, I thank you for your reviews.. because of them, I'm going to finish this fanfic.

Again, many thank yous.

**Warning:** **Bad grammatical mistakes.**

:Cross Hearts:

14. Trouble in the Forest

OOOOO

_-Tasuki started running, finally emerging out of the tall trees to find the palace walls once more._

_He had spent two full hours walking aimlessly around to come back to where he came from._

_If Tasuki wasn't so speechless from rage, he'd probably have screamed and burnt down the whole forest. –_

Tamahome looked up in surprise when he saw Tasuki walking towards their camp area with bits of the forest (that he had emerged from) covering him and clinging to his tattered clothes. Tasuki did not look too happy. The deep frown on his face also justified this.

"Tasuki?" Tamahome asked in a dumbfounded manner as he got up from his crouched position.

Tasuki walked past him with a note of bitterness and sat himself down in front of the campfire, staring deep into the flames as he brushed off the dirt from his clothes grudgingly.

Miaka and Aya were occupying the campfire, having just finished cooking the stew that was boiling over the campfire flames when Tasuki had arrived.

"Tasuki!" Miaka cried as she dropped the wooden spoon in her hand and embraced him tightly.

Tasuki tried fruitlessly to push her off, but Miaka held her ground, only tightening her grip on him to the point where he thought he would suffocate.

"We were so worried about you Tasuki! Where did you go?" Miaka added, finally releasing him from her iron like grip.

"Are you okay?" Aya asked, handing him a bowl of stew.

Tasuki slowly took the bowl and nodded at her. He didn't have much of an appetite. It was surprising what one night in a thick isolated forest could do to you. Nevertheless, he spooned through the stew.

Nuriko crawled out of his tent in a lethargic fashion. He got up and stretched, yawning loudly as he strolled towards the others and gingerly sat himself next to Aya, who passed him a heaping bowl of hot stew. Nuriko took it and stirred it absentmindedly as he eyed her from the corner of his eye.

He and Aya had not spoken to each other since Tamahome had brought her back from the castle. He still had a deep guilty conscience for leaving her behind at the castle, and it burned him even more every time he looked at her. Her soft features always brought him back to the time he had sneaked into her room…

He snapped back to reality after he noticed Aya was staring at him curiously. Nuriko frowned slightly as she gave him an uncertain smile. It was times like these that he wondered why he even left her behind in the first place.

"Look…Aya," Nuriko began as she motioned for him to eat his stew with the slight nudge of her head.

"Yes?" Aya said as she dipped the ladle into the pot and poured a bowl of stew for Tamahome.

"I'm sorry," he muttered in a barely audible voice.

He looked away as Aya turned to look at him. She tilted her head slightly in confusion as she stared at him.

"Hm?"

"Ah…nothing. Forget it."

He felt his face fluster and quickly began spooning huge amounts of stew, eating noisily as a sign to end the conversation.

Aya stared at Nuriko who was giving his undivided attention to his bowl.

It was probably a dream. It _was_ a dream.

Aya shuddered slightly. She could still feel Nuriko's warm touch around her body. The feeling of his embrace would stay burned in her heart forever. The thought of it made her feel uneasy. She barely knew the pretty boy and he was already seducing her into his very own control. Aya wanted to laugh. She never would have thought she would be attracted to someone who looked like the type to love men- and be more beautiful than she was.

Mitsukake put down his near empty bowl and looked at Tasuki with a concerned expression.

"Tasuki, do you want me to look at your wounds?" he asked the fanged boy.

Tasuki shook his head as he passed his empty bowl to Aya who in return handed it absentmindedly to Miaka.

"Nah, I'll live. These scratches are nothing."

"Stop acting so tough and have Mitsukake look at you Tasuki," Tamahome said as he ate his stew.

"I'm fine!" he snapped.

Tamahome gave Tasuki a weird look before narrowing his eyes in irritation. He took a spoonful of beef and chewed it thoroughly before answering to Tasuki's remark.

"Geez, have it your way. I was just trying to be nice you know."

"Well, I don't need your kindness," he muttered, crossing his arms stubbornly.

Tamahome sighed and ruffled his hair in frustration. The guy was truly hopeless when he was in a bad mood.

"What should we do now?" Hotohori wondered out loud, looking up at the blazing sun with squinted eyes. He shielded his eyes with his hand as he continued to look up at the blue sky.

His party had just finished breakfast and were now lounging around the burned out campfire, twiddling their thumbs and waiting for the next plan to commence.

Chiriko looked up from the map he was carefully examining.

"We should head back to the palace and re-supply our stocks. These past few days have really diminished our money and food."

"No kidding," Tasuki muttered as he lay down in a rather comfortable position.

"Good plan. I guess we can plan out everything there once we get back."

"How long will it take to get back to the palace?" Tamahome asked.

"About two days if we start now," Chichiri replied, shading his face from the sun as he looked out to the parched road.

"Great, then we should start packing," Tasuki said, getting up and heading towards the tents.

Aya blinked in complete confusion. Did Chiriko just say palace? Hadn't she already been in one already? Were they going back to the same one- why the hell were they going to a palace to restock? Why not a market? Endless amounts of questions spun in her mind, but she kept quiet, not wanting to but in when she was probably the cause of their lowered rations.

Nuriko looked around dully, obviously still drowsy as he stifled a yawn while saying, "I guess we should start packing then."

The rest nodded and the five other senshi got up and began packing, leaving Nuriko, Aya, and Miaka around the campfire.

Nuriko rubbed his eyes again, and yawned, resting his head gently on Aya's shoulder. Aya looked at Nuriko in surprise, barely able to speak as he closed his eyes, looking as if he was about to fall asleep.

"Did you sleep well last night Nuriko? You look terrible," Miaka noted.

Nuriko managed to mumble, "I'm fine" before letting out another yawn.

Miaka shook her head.

"Maybe you should get more sleep before we head off."

Nuriko said nothing, only nodding slightly as a faint smile escaped his lips.

Aya couldn't help but examine his elegant features. He had such beautiful eyes. Even closed Aya could feel a burn of envy as she stared at them longingly. She felt an urge to hug him, but held it back, noticing Miaka watching her thoughtfully.

"Since it looks like Nuriko doesn't want to move, I'll leave him with you," she said as she stood up from her place. She brushed the dirt off her skirt as she continued, "Anyways, I need to go help the others pack up."

Aya nodded as she watched Miaka head off towards where the others were. They had already brought down the tents and were rolling up the blankets. Tasuki had finished putting away the first tent before Miaka had walked over to speak with him.

Aya turned her gaze back to Nuriko, nearly screaming in surprise when she found him staring up at her. Nuriko placed the tips of his fingers gently to her lips to stifle any sound from her. After it looked as if she had calmed down, Nuriko positioned himself so that he was slightly facing her. Aya gave him a bewildered look.

"Aren't you suppose to be tired?" She asked suspiciously, looking away from him so he couldn't see her flustered face.

"I'm okay now. All I needed was a quick nap."

Aya said nothing more, keeping her distance from him and avoiding any eye contact. The more she saw him, the more she knew yesterday was no dream. And the emotions were definitely real as well.

"What's wrong?"

Aya looked up at Nuriko. His expression was filled with concern as he peered deeply at her.

"You seem a bit flustered."

Aya quickly looked away again, turning her body slightly to distance herself even more from Nuriko.

"I'm…I'm fine," she finally said, feeling his gaze still on her.

Aya sat there for a while before getting up, still keeping her back turned to him.

"I'm…going for a walk now. See you," she said quickly before trotting down the dry dirt road towards a path into the forest.

She didn't stop until she was safe behind a tree, finally mustering the courage to turn and look back at the camp site, which was nearly concealed by the trees that lay in front of her.

Nuriko was still sitting beside the now diminished camp firing, staring in her direction. Aya quickly hid herself once more, unsure whether she had been seen or not.

After a moment of thought, Aya shook her head, trotting even further down the forest path.

----

Nuriko watched as Aya disappeared behind the surrounding trees.

He frowned, crossing his arms and blowing out a sigh of frustration. He honestly didn't know what to think of the girl. She was beautiful- even more than him. He had never seen a blond hair, blue-eyed beauty before. Even with the good looks, he also saw the childish and helpless side of her. It was very contradicting to her physical features and the aura she produced around her. At times, he would see a goddess standing before him…and at other…

He honestly didn't know what to think of her.

Nuriko closed his eyes, bending down and covering his eyes with his hands. He was starting to get a major migraine.

He could hear the others working at a distance, finishing the last of the packing and preparing the horses for the long journey. They clearly had not noticed Aya's disappearance or his lack of participation in the clean up yet.

_Kourin…_

Nuriko opened his eyes and looked up, a bit stunned at the thought.

He hadn't thought of Kourin for the longest time. She had turned into a deep scar long ago; healed, but still remaining. His eyes trailed back to the forest. Every time he saw her…

"I miss you Kourin," he whispered softly, shaking his head in a hopeless manner before getting up and tracing Aya's steps into the forest.

Despite the awkward emotions he was feeling, he still had a duty to look after Aya. He shook his head again, this time out of anger. He had forgotten to mention the wild beasts that lurked in the forest she had gone to.

-----

Aya looked around helplessly.

The more she walked, the more confusing her surroundings became. The trail had thinned tremendously since she had taken it. It was now only the width of her foot, barely visible to the eye.

She stopped walking and stood there at a complete loss of what to do next. She had no means of getting herself out. In truth, Aya was completely house tamed. She had never even breathed the outdoors until a few days ago.

She could hear the cries of the crows and the singing of the birds around her. It was faint, but still there. She spun around slowly, looking in every direction for a way out, but turned out with nothing. The truth couldn't escape her. She was seriously lost.

She took a new direction, only noticing she had gone off the fading trail after a few more minutes of wondering. This new ordeal made her want to scream more than anything else.

"I want Aki," she groaned, sinking to the floor and hugging her knees tightly.

The image of Aki, standing in front of her with a pained expression on his face from her lack of direction, was imprinted in her mind. This of course did nothing to help her situation, but she felt comforted by it, sinking deeper into her daydreams.

_:Aya:_

Her daydreaming stopped as she looked up at found a black figure slowly approaching her.

Aya felt her body freeze, paralyzed with fear from the unknown. The birds had stopped their singing and the whole forest seemed to had fallen dead silent except for the approaching footsteps of the dark creature.

She felt a tug from her inside and her mind started to fade. She let the feeling take over, knowing fully well that if she didn't let Ceres handle the situation, she'd die right then and there.

_:Let me handle this. I'll get out of here safely:_

Those were the last words she heard before she blanked out completely.

-----

"Aya!" Nuriko called out as he went down the path that he noticed was disappearing the further he went. "Aya!"

The girl was starting to irritate him. She always had the habit of getting herself lost and then mixing up with the wrong bunch.

"Aya!"

There was no reply to each of his calls, making him more anxious and irritated. The group would start a search party if they didn't return soon- and that was more than unnecessary.

He stopped, realizing the trail had ended there. There was nothing but a stretch of forest all around him.

_Where the hell is she?_

Nuriko heard a cry from his right. He spun around quickly towards the sound of the cry. It wasn't a cry of a girl-no. It was a cry of an animal.

Without another thought, Nuriko sprinted towards the direction of the noise, flinging back stray branches and leaves. Stumbling and tripping over roots, he kept going, halting when he saw a strange purple glow in front of him.

Nuriko paused, unsure of himself. He didn't sense a bad aura emitting from the light…but still…it was definitely an unusual feeling.

After a few moments, the purple glow died, bringing the forest back to it's original colour.

Taking this as a cue, he quickly rushed where the light source had come from only to have to stop once more. Nuriko stared, dumbstruck and barely breathing. There, in front of him, was a girl, her back facing him. At first, he thought it was Aya, but it was impossible. Her hair was purple and she gave off a totally different vibe.

Nuriko could barely swallow down the big lump forming in his throat.

That woman before him was his sister.

----

Althe: Okay! Chapter thirteen (after a year of procrastination) is finally finished! Woohoo!

Heh heh, I've noticed this is the fic where you see the big change in my writing style. Neat eh? I change it, oh…every year I guess. Not bad, not bad. Gets better every time…

Well, I hope I won't get lazy and finish this fanfic.

I guess there're only two more chapters to go! Until next time!

RR!


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